By Anuoluwapo Fasoyin
The Oyo State Government is set to punish individuals who defecate in the open and indiscriminately dump refuse, as part of efforts to eradicate open defecation in the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, disclosed this in Ibadan, at a 2-day media dialogue on open defecation in the South-West, sponsored by UNICEF.
Prince Oyelade stated that in order to achieve the national target of ending open defecation in Nigeria by 2027, Governor Seyi Makinde has mandated the Ministry of Justice to prosecute anyone who defecates openly in the State.
Prince Oyelade while pledging the State Government’s continued partnership with UNICEF in ensuring end to open defecation, appealed to residents to patronise government approved waste Consultants and stop the unhygienic practice of open defecation.
Earlier, UNICEF, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Action Plan Specialist, Mr. Monday Johnson revealed that the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, report showed that about 48 million Nigerians were practising open defecation.
Mr. Johnson added Oyo State has the highest data of unhygienic practice of open defecation in the South-West and noted that UNICEF has progressively started actions to end it.
