The Kwara State Government has reiterated its commitment to eliminating open defecation and addressing the public health risks associated with poor sanitation......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
Speaking on Wednesday during a visit to Wara in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Mr. Olorunfemi Oladipo, General Manager of the Kwara State Rural Water Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), stressed the government’s ongoing efforts to engage stakeholders across the state to combat open defecation and achieve an open defecation-free status in six pilot local governments by May.
According to Oladipo, the government has established both local and state monitoring teams tasked with ensuring that every household in the state has at least one toilet.
He noted that local government authorities play a crucial role in the campaign due to their proximity to the grassroots.
He added that the agency had already engaged three of the six pilot local government areas—Ilorin South, Oke-Ero, and Ilorin West—while plans were underway to extend the initiative to Patigi, Ekiti, and Ifelodun soon.
“The monitoring teams will work with a mandate to ensure that every household in the state has at least one toilet to discourage open defecation.
“The agency believes a lot can be achieved through Local Government authorities, which are closer to the grassroots.
“So, we promise to sustain the engagements with the local councils, until the agency accomplish its mission.
“Kwara State, through RUWASA, has since kick-started the Clean Kwara Campaign to fully achieve goal six of the Sustainable Development Goals, which is access to affordable water and sanitation for all.
“Three out of six pilot local governments, namely Ilorin South, Oke-Ero, and Ilorin West – have now been engaged, while the remaining; Patigi, Ekiti, and Ifelodun will be covered soon,” Oladipo said.
In his address, Alhaji Abdulrahman Ladan, Chairman of Ilorin West Local Government Council, commended the state government’s visionary initiatives and confirmed that the council had incorporated the sanitation programme into its 2025 budget.
He noted that the budgetary allocation would provide public toilets in schools, markets, and other public spaces, alongside boreholes for several communities.
Similarly, Mr. Abdulazeez Rufai, Head of Sanitation and Hygiene at RUWASA, urged residents to prioritize hygiene and assured them that the agency was working diligently to meet its target of making the six pilot local governments open defecation-free by May.
The state government however called on stakeholders, including community leaders and private organizations, to collaborate in achieving a cleaner and healthier Kwara.