… Other Local Governments to Follow Suit
As part of efforts to end open defecation nationwide by 2025, Lagos State Government on Tuesday flagged off the “Clean Nigeria: Use The Toilet” Campaign in Apapa Local Government.
Speaking during the flag-off held at the Legislative Hall of Apapa Local Government, the Permanent Secretary Office of Environmental Services, Omobolaji Gaji said the campaign seeks to promote the use of toilets and good hygiene practices in every community across the State and in Nigeria.
Gaji, represented by a Director in the Office of Sanitation Services, Mr. Babajide Adeoye noted that the State Government flagged off the campaign in the State during the Year 2020 World Toilet Day with a view to decentralising the campaign in all LGAs/LCDAs.
He stated that on the 19th of November, 2022, during the World Toilet Day (WTD) Commemoration, the State Government started the campaign in three Local Government Areas across the three Senatorial Districts in the State, which were Ifako-Ijaiye, Ikorodu and Lagos Island LGAs.
Gaji recalled that in the year 2018, former President Muhammadu Buhari had declared a state of emergency on Open Defecation and subsequently signed into law an Executive Order 009 titled “The Open Defecation-Free Nigeria by 2025 and Other Related Matters Order 2019”.
The Permanent Secretary stressed that the President’s action became necessary because globally, Nigeria had been ranked the second country with the highest number of people practising open defecation.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Chairman of Apapa Local Government, Hon. Adejomoke Senbanjo said the aim of the flag-off is to eradicate open defecation within Apapa Local Government, adding that through research, indiscriminate defecation had noticeably increased within the metropolis.
She urged stakeholders present to implement decisions reached at the meeting to ensure that open defecation is totally eradicated in Apapa Local Government in particular and Lagos State at large.
The Flag-off of the “Clean Lagos: Use the Toilet” Campaign which has been already implemented in Lagos Island, Ikorodu and Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government will subsequently be launched in other Local Governments within the State.
