The Oyo State Government, on Thursday, inaugurated a 20-man State Task Group on Sanitation to eliminate open defecation and ensure equitable water, sanitation and hygiene by 2028.
The state Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, who inaugurated the group at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat in Ibadan, the state capital, said the group would address sanitation gaps in the state and end open defecation in the state by 2028.
Represented by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, the deputy governor advised the group to step up the efficacy of awareness at public facilities on the need to own basic sanitation facilities.
He said, ‘Many institutions still lack basic sanitation facilities- step up the efficacy of awareness, backing it up with tangible reasons to procure these facilities.
‘I want to express the State Government’s commitment towards eradicating open defecation by 2028, which informed the launching of STGS in the state’.
Earlier, the state Chairman of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, Babalola Afobaje, said the inauguration of the group would help to improve the sanitation and hygiene activities in the state.
Also speaking, the state Chairman of House of Assembly Committee on Environment, Ecology and Water Resources, Olorunpoto Cephas reaffirmed the commitment of the House to support the mandate through enabling legislation, effective oversight, and advocacy.
‘Our committee is ready to work closely with RUWASSA, relevant MDAs, local government authorities, traditional institutions, and development partners to ensure this vision becomes a lived reality for our people’.
The group, which is chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Olanike Adeyemo, has Omoyele Omofoyewa, Olalekan Isaac, Oyedele Oladayo, Rafiu Baasit and Abayomi Yusuff as members.
Others include Aileru Foster, Olamide Adeniji, Femi Amusan, Ramoni Afeez, Adedeji Sunday, Adewole Deola, Oloyede Abimbola, Mustapha Haulat, Oyewole Bukola, Adio Olusegun and Aliu Jemilat among others.
