The Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, Mr Wasiu Adesina, on Sunday warned residents against open defecation, vowing punishment for anyone caught indulging in the act.
Adesina gave the warning during a program to commemorate the 2002 World Toilet Day, with the theme: “Sanitation and Ground water” at the council secretariat in Ikorodu.
He urged residents to adhere to the council’s sanitation rules ,saying his administration would build 20 more public toilets to complement existing ones, to discourage open defecation.
“I am indeed very happy and exceedingly grateful to God and the good people of Ikorodu for the constant changes and development in our community in recent times.
“Today is World Toilet Day all over the world, it is believed that by today every household should have moved away from open defecation.
“As the whole world stands to eradicate open defecation, I have informed the environmental department to enforce and prosecute anybody found engaging in the act,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Mobolaji Gaji, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Environmental Services, Lagos State Ministry of the Environmental and Water Resources, also advised residents against open defecation.
Gaji, said the theme of the 2022 World Toilet Day – “Sanitation and Groundwater’’ with the campaign title “Making the invisible visible” was a clarion call on all stakeholders to prioritize sanitation and hygiene.
According to him ,sanitation and hygiene are the cheapest and easiest ways of combating spread of diseases and controlling other environmental crises.
He said the day was set aside by the United Nations to draw attention and seek global response in tackling sanitation challenges and most importantly, the menace of open defecation.
According to him, the World Toilet Day commemoration is about raising awareness and taking actions to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water and Sanitation for all by 2030.
Gaji, represented by Mr Lasisi Adetokunbo, an official of the ministry, said the state government had enacted a law to promote environmental sustainability and discourage practices such as open defecation.
Earlier, Mrs Sani Amokunmosa, Head of environmental department of the council, urged residents to continue to imbibe good sanitary practices in order to avert outbreak of diseases, and prolong lives.
Amokunmosa called for efforts from both the public and private quarters in the provision of public toilets in places like the market, motor parks, schools and other places ,to confront the problem of open defecation.
The students from different schools in Ikorodu displayed placards with different inscriptions emphasizing the importance of clean environment at the program.
Some of the inscriptions were : Cleanliness is next to Godliness” , “Good environment is equal to good health” and “Your environment is your future”
