Six political wards in the Ona-Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State have been certified open defecation-free (ODF) by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday. According to Prince Dotun Oyelade, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, in a press release made available to New Telegraph in Ibadan, two political wards in Egbeda local government area have also been certified open defecation-free by UNICEF. This was made known by the Chairman, Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, RUWASSA, Hon.
Babalola Afobaje, during a pre-event walk to mark the 2024 World Toilet Day Celebration in Ibadan on Monday. According to him, before 2022, only 10 per cent of households in Ona-Ara LGA had access to toilets, and many practised open defecation. Afobaje said the Oyo State Government has the goal of ending open defecation in the nooks and crannies of the State by 2028 by launching its Roadmap to ODF.
He was optimistic that each step taken brings the state closer to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation for all in the State. “On this World Toilet Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to transforming lives through safe sanitation. Together, we can ensure that every person in Oyo State, regardless of their background, has access to a toilet they can use with dignity and safety.
” He said the strategic objective of Oyo State Open Defecation Free (ODF) Roadmap is to eliminate open defecation and ensure eq.