Abiodun Taiwo, Abeokuta
In its bid at discouraging open defecation and achieve 2025 open defecation free status, Ogun State Government has called on market women, and national union of road transport workers to help fight the menace saying that the government will go all out against anybody found defecating openly in the State.
The government also threatened to seal off any house built without a toilet facility.
Addressing a press conference to mark this year National Environmental Day, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mrs Yetunde Dina, said the state government would begin to arrest and prosecute anyone defecating in the open.
Mrs Dina who highlighted the theme for this year’s International Environmental day to be ‘stop open defecation for healthy living’.said the government will engage the services of sanitation officers to help in apprehending anybody found defecating openly
Dina lamented the high rate of open defecation in the state, saying this was so because some houses, schools and markets were built without toilets.
According to her, it is sad that Nigeria is rated second in open defecation after India, but based on the Federal government commitment of fighting open defecation and attaining free status by 2025, the State government has put machineries in motion to ensure that the goal is achieved. .
She said, “Anybody caught will be arrested and prosecuted.We are going to be strict with violators this time around.
“We are going to seal off houses without toilet facilities. And such houses would not be opened until they have the facilities.”
Also speaking a Director in the Ministry, Mrs Lola Jokosenumi called on any private individuals that is willing to partner with government in ensuring that toilet facilities are built and maintained in public places to do so saying that government is ready to partner with such body.
She said that the monitoring of public places to ensure total compliance to discouraging open defecation will be carried out with full force.
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