Photos at World Toilet Day: LIRECAF Preaches Against Open Defecation in Ibadan

Photos at World Toilet Day: LIRECAF Preaches Against Open Defecation in Ibadan

In its commemoration of the 2021 World Toilet Day, the Life Renewal Healthcare and Empowerment Foundation (LIRECAF) has taken advocacy against open defecation to some areas in Ibadan metropolis where open defecation is mostly practiced.

The body in its effort to create awareness about the dangers inherent in open defecation, held a stakeholders sensitization meeting with opinion leaders, market women, community leaders, traditional leaders representatives and youths organizations from areas like Gbenla, Atenda, Oke-Apon, Kube, Yemetu and others in Ibadan North Local Government area in Ibadan.

According to the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LIRECAF, Alhaja Jemila Aliyu, while relating with journalist after the open rapport with stakeholders on Friday, open defecation, which is practiced in most Ibadan slums have health effects that have accounted for most deaths as a result of environmental pollution.

She said the open dialogue with stakeholders in the areas picked has enabled cross discussion platform that gave room for experts on environmental health to mobilize the people against the act and equip them with enough knowledge to construct low cost toilets that would endure against time and prevent spread of diseases.

The initiative, according to her gave the responsibility of catering for the health of the inhabitants of these communities in their own hands.

Jemila added that the people were taught how to construct pit toilets with Sato Pans, whereby the cost of construction is relatively low while water usage is minimal, calling on sons and daughters of these communities that are well off financially to come to their aids.

“Open defecation is the act of defecating in the street, gutter at the river sides,at the back of residential places and on the rail lines, this practice has been in existence for a long period of time and its effects are known to be detrimental to our health, as it causes environmental pollution.

“This program is organised to sensitise the community leaders of Oyo State vision, to promote the construction and use of toilets at the household, public places and schools.

“LIRECAF is set to promote community sensitisation to create awareness in both the urban and rural areas in the state to put an end to open defecation by the year 2025, while we solicit for the support of philanthropic sons and daughters of Ibadan to achieve open defecation free community.”

The representatives of social organizations from seven zones of the local government (Ward 3 and 4 of Ibadan North local government), who spoke with newsmen after the meeting, appreciated LIRECAF for its efforts in sensitizing the people against infectious diseases that are spread through open defecation.

They pledged to go back home and start working on the modalities to construct simple toilets while they will be agents of dissemination of the information on advocacy against open defecation.

The representative of the Chairman Oyo State Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (OYORUWASSA) Mr. Olabisi Otunla in his speech, said the advocacy programme would partner receive the support of government in the bid to end open defecation before 2025.

The Chairman, Ibadan North Local government Community Development Council (CDC) Prince Hammed Gbolagade hinted that the Open Defecation Prohibition Bill hearing that held on the 22nd March 2021 at the floor of Oyo State House of Assembly has the potential to end the menace of open defecation and warned residents of the local government, especially those living in the densely populated areas to to desist from the practice.