Omotayo Adigun
The Oyo State Government has officially inaugurated a 20-member State Task Group on Sanitation (STGS) with a mandate to eliminate open defecation and ensure equitable access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) across the state by the year 2028.
The inauguration ceremony took place on Thursday at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat in Ibadan, the state capital.
The state Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, represented by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, presided over the inauguration.
He stated that the newly formed task group is crucial to addressing existing sanitation gaps within Oyo State and achieving the ambitious goal of ending open defecation within the next four years.
Addressing the newly inaugurated members, the Deputy Governor urged them to intensify awareness campaigns at public facilities, emphasizing the necessity for individuals and institutions to invest in basic sanitation infrastructure. He noted that many institutions still lack these fundamental facilities and stressed the importance of providing tangible reasons for their procurement.
“I want to express the State Government’s commitment towards eradicating open defecation by 2028, which informed the launching of STGS in the state,” the Deputy Governor affirmed.
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Earlier in the proceedings, the state Chairman of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Babalola Afobaje, expressed his optimism that the inauguration of the STGS would significantly contribute to the improvement of sanitation and hygiene practices throughout Oyo State.
Echoing this sentiment, the Chairman of the Oyo State House of Assembly Committee on Environment, Ecology and Water Resources, Olorunpoto Cephas, pledged the House’s full support for the task group’s mandate.
He assured that the legislature would provide enabling legislation, effective oversight, and robust advocacy to facilitate the achievement of their objectives.
“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,” Cephas stated.
The State Task Group on Sanitation will be chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Olanike Adeyemo. Other members include Omoyele Omofoyewa, Olalekan Isaac, Oyedele Oladayo, Rafiu Baasit, Abayomi Yusuff, Aileru Foster, Olamide Adeniji, Femi Amusan, Ramoni Afeez, Adedeji Sunday, Adewole Deola, Oloyede Abimbola, Mustapha Haulat, Oyewole Bukola, Adio Olusegun, and Aliu Jemilat, among others.