Kwara State Government has again reiterated its commitment to give adequate resources and make necessary policies that will enable P-WASH programme to succeed across the state.
The Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Usman Yunusa Lade, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Christiana Omolola Asonibare, gave this assurance today at Etsu Patigi’s Palace where the State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Ilorin organised a sensitisation campaign to end open defecation.
The Commissioner stated that the negative effect of open defecation is not only to the environment but also constitute health hazard to the people as rainfall wash most of it to the streams and rivers.
Hon. Usman Yunusa Lade appealed to the traditional rulers, Transition Implementation Chairmen (TIC), National Union of Road Transport Workers, District Heads, Association of Market women, and youth leaders to join hands with the state government to succeed.
Speaking at the occasion, the organisers of the programme and General Manager of RUWASSA, Mr. Olorunfemi Oladipo Adewumi, stated that Patigi Local Government Area is one of the luckiest chosen for the programme among others in the state.
He stressed that the state government has already set aside millions of naira for the construction of toiletries as a measure to curb open defecation in the communities.
Mr. Adewumi advised the opinion leaders in every community to give maximum support to the officers that will construct the facilities when it finally commence.
In his welcome address, the Transition Implementation Chairman of Patigi, Alh. Liman Ibrahim Mohammed who was represented by the Supervisor for Agriculture, Mr. Saba Isiac Zhiri, thanked the state government for the opportunity given to Patigi Local Government Area for the project.
The Chairman promised to complement the state government effort by intensifying campaign against open defecation.
Giving his Royal blessings, the Etsu Patigi, His Royal Highness, Ibrahim Umar Bologi 11, appreciated the state government for the programme.
Etsu Bologi pledged to use his good office to continue to educate and enlighten his subjects on the importance of ending open defecation in the area.
He appealed to the state and federal government to assist them to improve epileptic power supply, the terrible situation of the road and dearth of functional healthcare facilities in the local government.