United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), on Tuesday, called for collective action and partnerships to tackle the growing challenge of open defecation.
The appeal was made during a stakeholders’ meeting in Ibadan to mark the 2024 World Toilet Day.
The theme of the day is “Toilet: A Place of Peace”.
Speaking at the event, the UNICEF WASH Manager, Jolly Ann Maulit, said that the theme underlined the reality that open defecation remained a risk for billions of people worldwide.
According to her, it has a direct impact on health, education, and poverty alleviation outcomes.
“World Toilet Day is more than just an observance; it’s a global call to action. According to UNICEF’s Children’s Climate Risk Index, Nigeria is third among 163 countries where children are most vulnerable to climate-related risks and hazards.
“This is so because Sanitation facilities that are not climate resilient break down quickly and are not usually rehabilitated on time, leading to people resorting to open defecation.
“We need government political commitment, budget releases, partnerships with the private sector, philanthropists and NGOs, social mobilisation, and youth involvement in hygiene and sanitation promotion to end open defecation in Oyo State, “she said.
Earlier, the Chairman of RUWASSA, Mr Babalola Afobaje, said that the agency would continue to take proactive actions through the support of government and UNICEF to ensure availability of water and toilet at every strategic location in the state.
He added that special attention had been placed on public places such markets, motor parks and worship centres.
“Through the support of state government and UNICEF, some local governments are becoming open defecation free, “he said.
The guest lecturer, Prof. Elizabeth Oloruntoba, Department of Health Sciences, University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, said that excreta contains pathogens responsible for many diseases.
She warned that when faeces of infected person gets into the environment it could go through routes like water, flies and handshakes to cause problem for another person.
She called on government, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to work together by ensuring that people had access to quality sanitation.
On his part, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Mr Ademola Aderinto, expressed confidence in achieving the state’s target of becoming open defecation-free by 2028, citing recent progress in sanitation efforts.
The event featured decoration of state WASH ambassadors, champions, advocates and presentation of award certificates to winning schools in WASH competitions.
