The Kwara State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ending open defecation across the state, with intensified efforts aimed at achieving full Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Usman Lade, disclosed this on Wednesday during a meeting in Ilorin with a delegation from the National Council on Sanitation and Task Group of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
Speaking through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Christiana Asonibare, Lade said the state was making steady progress, with Oke-Ero Local Government Area already attaining ODF status.
He noted that the state’s goal is to ensure that all local government areas are declared free of open defecation in line with national sanitation targets.
Also speaking at the meeting, the General Manager of the State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Mr Oladipo Adewumi, expressed confidence that Oke-Ero would soon be officially certified ODF. He added that the government had invested significantly in sanitation infrastructure and public sensitisation campaigns to promote hygiene across communities.
In his remarks, the head of the federal delegation, Mr Dada Joseph, said the Federal Government was committed to eliminating open defecation nationwide. He explained that the team’s visit to Kwara was to validate the ODF claim of Oke-Ero LGA and assess its readiness for official certification.
Joseph commended the state’s efforts and stressed the importance of sustaining sanitation initiatives to improve public health and environmental safety.
