Govt promotes anti-open defecation campaign in Kwara
NAN-HG-9
Project
Omu-Aran (Kwara), Jan. 11, 2018 (NAN) The Irepodun Local Government Council of Kwara in collaboration with the Federal Government is constructing two units of public toilets in Omu-Aran to eliminate open defecation in the area.
Mr Muyiwa Oladipo, the Council Chairman, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omu-Aran on Thursday that the collaboration was with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources under the office of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Abuja.
Oladipo said the project was intended to curb open defecation and other unhealthy habits among the residents and boost proper hygiene in the area.
He disclosed that work on the public toilets which consisted of 12 closets, located at the council secretariat and Latinwo market in the town, had reached advanced stages.
“This is a project we had mutual agreement and understanding with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in order to improve healthy living among the populace.
“The project consisting of six males and six females closets, expected to be completed within two months, is already at 60 per cent completion stages.
“It was basically geared toward eliminating open defecation and unwarranted infections thereby providing the people with healthy environment and a clean bill of health,” he said.
The chairman promised to put in place effective management mechanism toward prudent usage and sustenance of the facilities.
Similarly, Mrs Mariam Sodiq, the council’s Head of Health Department, described the project as timely and essential toward promoting healthcare delivery in the area.
She said the project, when completed would not only prevent unwarranted infections but reduced to a greater extent, the workload of the council’s environmental workers.
Sodiq said the department had stepped up its monthly environmental sanitation operations as a way of promoting hygienic and safer environment in the council.
“The issue of open defecation has been a source of concern to us in the department and the council in general.
“But we are now happy that with these public toilets in place, such will be a thing of the past,” she said. (NAN)
ISHO/JEO/MST
Edited by Janefrances Oraka/Muhammad Suleiman Tola