The governments of Ondo and Ekiti states have taken steps aimed at ending open defecation in their respective states.
In Ekiti, the government has set 2021 as the target for the eradication of open defecation in the state. The state Commissioner for Public Utilities and Infrastructure, Bamidele Faparusi, disclosed this to journalists in Ado Ekiti at the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Children Endowment Fund (UNICEF).
According to him, the memorandum with UNICEF was reached following the damning report that Ekiti was the second in open defecation practice in the country.
He said UNICEF had used Ekiti West and Gboyin local governments for the pilot scheme and that the two councils have almost recorded zero open defecation, following the provision of low-cost toilet facility at every household.
He said the state government would soon begin the construction of public toilets across the 16 local government areas of the state.
The commissioner said the state Rural Water Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) had done a baseline study that would help the government in kick-starting the programme.
In Ondo state, the government has banned open defecation across the 18 local councils of the state. The ban is a drastic step aimed at making the state completely free from infectious diseases and other health related challenges.
The ban was announced by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu at the inauguration of the State Steering Committee on Open Defecation Free (ODF) at the Babafunke Ajasin Auditorium, Igbatoro Road, Akure.
The governor, who decried the situation whereby Nigeria was ranked second in open defecation in the world, lamented that out of the 47 million Nigerians who practised open defecation, nine million come from the South-West and of this number, about 1.4 million live in Ondo State.
He describing the situation as unacceptable to his government and consequently banned the practice.