The chairman, Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Engineer Najeem Omirinde has said that the Seyi Makinde-led government will provide solar powered boreholes across the 33 local government areas of the state.

He said this is in line with the plan to supply adequate water supply to all the local government areas adding that it will be done through Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) project. This was said on Thursday at the ongoing workshop on Review, Validation and Dissemination of Open Defecation Free Roadmap for Oyo state with technical support from UNICEF Nigeria in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

“Nigeria is among the nations in the world with the highest number of people practicing open defecation, estimated at over 46million people. The practice has had a negative impact on the citizenry. The sanitation in the country promoted the Council on Water Resources in the 2014 to prioritize the development of roadmap towards eliminating open defecation in the country.

“The Road map provides a guide towards achieving an open defecation free country/state using different approaches such as Capacity Development, Promotion of improved technology options through Sanitation, marketing. provision of sanitation facilities in public places: Community-led Total Sanitation: promotional and medic campaigns: Creating enabling environment and coordination mechanism.

“This Roadmap will provide the construction of water and sanitation facilities across the 33 Local Governments in the state

Omirinde while declaring the workshop open said the Open Defecation Roadmap is an attempt to clearly articulate the strategies and other things needed to eliminate Open Defecation by 2025. In achieving this, he said every house must have at least a toilet adding that the idea of two or three houses sharing a toilet will no longer be tolerated.

“In the light of this and on behalf of Eng Seyi Makinde, the Executive Governor Oyo state, I wish to appreciate the UNICEF Country Chief of WASH (Mrs Jane Bevan) for their efforts in sponsoring this programme and making the state achieved the development of ODF training in the state. I cannot but appreciate my friend Mr. Bioye Ogunjobi (The Unicef WASH Specialist) for unique struggle to make today a reality.”

Present at the event were Mrs Aderonke Adedayo, Special Adviser to the Governor on Interventions; Mr Abioye Ogunjobi, UNICEF WASH Specialist; Mr Mumeen Adeduntan, Acting General Manager and all Directors, Oyo RUWASSA; Dr Olufemi Aluko, a consultant; Dr Alaba, a consultant; All 33 LG Directors of Sanitation, All WASH Steering Committee; Representatives of CAN & FOMOWA and others.