Ekiti State Government has expressed its readiness to partner with the National Youth Service Corps in its resolve to end the menace of open defecation.
The Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Engr. Bamidele Faparusi disclosed this during an official presentation of a report on the prevalence of open defecation practice in Oke- paadi area of Ikere Ekiti by a youth corps member, Miss Lawal Mary Oluwatosin in Ado-Ekiti.
Addressing the gathering of the management team of the Ministry and a sizeable number of the corps members at the occasion, Faparusi maintained that the present administration under the leadership of Dr. Kayode Fayemi would be relentless in its effort to initiate and promote policies and programmes that would ensure the attainment of the target of year 2022 open defecation free state.
While commending the efforts of the corps member for her resilience and passion to deliver the report which he noted would serve as a reference point in addressing the issue of open defecation in Ikere, the Commissioner urged others to emulate Oluwatosin and be in the vanguard of the crusade against the practice of open defecation, saying the efforts of Oluwatosin would not go unrewarded.
Speaking at the occasion, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Olumide Ajayi lauded the efforts of Miss Oluwatosin and encouraged other corps members to join the campaign against the practice in their various domains in order to attain the target of year 2025 open defecation free nation.
In her remarks, the NYSC State Director, Mrs. Emmanuella Okpongete who was represented by the Assistant Director, Community Development
Services, Prince Anthony Anabui promised to deploy all resources within organisation’s disposal towards the actualization of open defecation free nation.
According to the NYSC Local Government Inspector, Mrs. Kemi Olagunju, Miss Oluwatosin has taken it upon herself to embark on several community development projects and services like literacy education for middle aged women, provision of waste bin among other community development efforts she embark upon as her contribution to make positive impact on the various communities.
In her submissions, the corps member, Miss Lawal Oluwatosin with identification number EK/19A/1275 said her desire to embark on the survey was influenced by her discovery of prevalence of open defecation around the area which informed her decision to investigate the immediate and remote cause of the menace with a view to suggesting a means of eradicating such in the neighbourhood thereby promoting open defecation free environment.
Parts of her recommendations towards achieving the target of Sustainable Development Goal includes provision of adequate and universal access to water for toilet use, opening up of locked public toilet facilities, building of public toilets, enforcement of toilet construction per house, that is, one house one toilet, and sensitization of the residents on necessary behavioural change to use the available toilet facilities as some of the residents that are used to defecating in the open feel so comfortable with it, among others.
Packaged by Emmanuel Adeniran
