In a bold move to improve public hygiene, the Oyo State Government has inaugurated a 20-member State Task Group on Sanitation (STGS) to combat open defecation, with a target to eradicate the practice by 2028.
Speaking at the inauguration held at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan, the state Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, represented by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, emphasized the government’s commitment to sanitation reform.
“Many institutions still lack basic sanitation facilities. Step up the efficacy of awareness, backing it up with tangible reasons to procure these facilities,” Lawal urged.
He added, “I want to express the State Government’s commitment towards eradicating open defecation by 2028, which informed the launching of STGS in the state.”
Chairman of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Babalola Afobaje, noted that the task group will be pivotal in improving hygiene efforts statewide.
Olorunpoto Cephas, Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Ecology and Water Resources, pledged legislative backing, stating, “Our committee is ready to work closely with RUWASSA, relevant MDAs, local government authorities, traditional institutions, and development partners to ensure this vision becomes a lived reality for our people.”
The task group is chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Olanike Adeyemo, and includes members such as Omoyele Omofoyewa, Olalekan Isaac, and Oyedele Oladayo, among others.
