The Kwara State Government, under the leadership of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has urged Local Government Chairmen and council officials to implement decisive measures to eradicate open defecation across the state.

The State Commissioner for Water Resources, Usman Lade Yinusa, made the call during a one-day Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Stakeholders Engagement meeting with Local Government Chairmen and their Directors of Personnel and Management. The event, themed “Eradication of Open Defecation in Kwara State,” was organised by the State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA).

The Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Christiana Omolola Ashonibare highlighted the government's ongoing initiatives, including sensitization programmes across all local government areas, aimed at promoting a healthier Kwara. She emphasized that the government is fully committed to addressing the health needs of citizens.

The General Manager of RUWASSA, Mr. Olorunfemi Adewumi Oladipo commended Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq for prioritizing the health of citizens. He noted that the meeting was crucial to discuss key issues related to public health, dignity, and sustainable development.

Mr. Oladipo shared that RUWASSA has made significant progress in the fight against open defecation through collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and other development partners. Efforts include Community-Led Total Sanitation, Monitoring and Evaluation, the provision of smart toilets, and WASH facilities in critical communities, as well as funding support.

He further revealed that six communities in Oke Ero Local Government Area have been certified as open defecation-free through RUWASSA's interventions. He reaffirmed the Agency's dedication to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals by expanding sanitation infrastructure, promoting behavioural change, enforcing policies and regulations, and fostering partnerships for sustainability.

The Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam, represented by the Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Pharmacist Barakat Olanrewaju, underscored the serious health, environmental, and socio-economic consequences of open defecation. She called for the establishment of WASH departments at the local government level and urged the Chairmen to ensure compliance in their areas.

Professor Henry Olawale Sawyerr, a resource person at the event, praised the State's achievements as reflected in the UNICEF rankings, attributing the progress to the efforts of the State government and concerned agencies.

According to UNICEF, over 120 million people in West and Central Africa engage in open defecation, with Nigeria ranking second globally, with 47 million cases.