UNICEF Presents Osun LG Open Defecation Free Certificate

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, through the National Task Group on Sanitation has presented Certificate of open defecation free to Ifedayo Local Government in Osun State.

The Local Government was listed as one of the three local Governments practicing open defecation in 2017.

Ifedayo is the first local Government in the southwest to achieve the feat of being declared open dedication free.

The feat would not have been achieved without UNICEF which supported
water, sanitation and hygiene interventions in the affected local Governments.

Wife of Osun State Governor, Kafayat Oyetola expressed confidence that more of local government areas will soon be declared open defecation free.

With the award of open defecation free certificate to Ifedayo Local Government area, Mrs. Oyetola acknowledged the efforts, zeal and resoluteness with which the whole area abandoned the practice of defecating in the open places.

“This feat was achieved almost a year ago, however, the circumstances of the nation and the world prevented this ceremony from holding earlier than now. We thank God Almighty that finally, we are here today”.

“It is still on record that we are the only State in the Southwest Nigeria which has consistently been working in getting rid of open defecation and with the results showing”.

“Today, we have Ifedayo as a performance record, I am happy to say that work is advanced in two other local government areas. We hope they will join Ifedayo as one of the areas that are free of open defecation practice in Osun. I thank our people for your commitment to this campaign”.

She noted that the feat was achieved as a result of assurances and commitment of the people, especially the chieftains of administration in the various local government areas.

“The dangers in the continued practice of open defecation are huge and expensive. Open defecation carries grave health consequences. The consequences are not only for those engaging in the practice but also for everyone in the community. It is a destroyer of our health and pollutant of our environment”.

“It has been discovered that open defecation is one of the factors leading to mortality among children under five years of age. This is apart from the fact that the practice could enhance rape and sexual violence against our women and our girls, she warned.

To reverse negative impact of open Defection Governor Oyetola in a remark urged people in other local government areas to emulate Ifedayo and get in the folds of open dedication free areas.

According to UNICEF, 946 million people defecate in the open around the world while 9 out of ten people defecating in the open live in rural areas.