By Babatunde Tiamiyu
Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, OYORUWASSA, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Lagos Field Office, and other partners have called on stakeholders to intensify efforts on sanitation strategies in preventing disease.
The Chairman of OYORUWASSA, Alhaji Babalola Afobaje, made this known while declaring open an event marking the 2025 World Toilet Day Celebration held at the state Secretariat, Ibadan.
Alhaji Afobaje who emphasised on this year’s theme: “We’ll Always Need the Toilet”, underscored the enduring importance of safe, functional, and dignified sanitation systems in all communities.
According to him, toilets are not mere facilities, but life-saving infrastructure essential for public health, environmental protection, climate resilience and respect for human dignity.
Alhaji Afobaje also commended UNICEF and other partners for the progress in driving the Open Defecation Free (ODF) campaign across Oyo State, while stressing the need to intensify efforts to end open defecation by 2028.
In a welcome address, General Manager, OYORUWASSA, Mr. Adeniyi Adeduntan, noted that access to safe toilets remains a necessity.
Mr Adeduntan highlighted the consequences of inadequate or malfunctioning sanitation systems, which leads to disease outbreaks, adding that women and girls are the most affected.
In a keynote presentation, the Co-founder of Recycled and Partnership Lead of the Young Water Professionals, Mr. Victor Oyejide and a Sewage Management Expert, Engr. Oladele Fadipe, called for continuous education and awareness on dignified sanitation.
They noted that many schoolgirls miss classes during their menstrual periods due to inadequate Water, Adaptive, Sanitation and Hygiene [WASH] facilities.
They also encouraged the public to adopt safe toilet practices, maintain personal hygiene, and use of protective items such as hand sanitizers, soap and water.
Participants in the workshop, stakeholders expressed confidence that the discussions and new partnerships formed would accelerate efforts toward achieving an Open Defecation Free Oyo State.
