Open Defecation: Kwara Gov’t Directs LGs To Establish WASH Depts
In a major move to eliminate open defecation across Kwara State, the state government has directed all 16 local government areas to set up Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) departments.
The directive was given by the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina El-Imam, during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting with local government chairmen and their directors of personnel and management on the WASH program. The meeting, themed “Eradication of Open Defecation in Kwara State,” was organized by the State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) in Ilorin, the state capital.
Representing Dr. El-Imam, the Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Barakat Olanrewaju, emphasized the health, environmental, and socio-economic impacts of open defecation, stressing the urgent need to address the issue.
The state’s Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Usman Lade, also addressed the meeting, urging local government chairmen and officials to take immediate action to combat open defecation in their areas. Mrs. Christiana Ashonibare, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, delivered Lade’s remarks, highlighting the government’s commitment to improving public health through initiatives aimed at promoting sanitation.
Mr. Olorunfemi Oladipo, the General Manager of RUWASSA, shared that six communities in Oke Ero Local Government Area have been certified open defecation-free thanks to the agency’s intervention. He reiterated RUWASSA’s dedication to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals by expanding sanitation infrastructure, promoting behavioral change, enforcing policies, and fostering partnerships for sustainability.
Professor Henry Sawyer, a resource person at the event, commended the state for its progress, as reflected in the UNICEF rankings, attributing the state’s success to the concerted efforts of the government and its agencies.
