The chairman of Abeokuta North local government area of Ogun state, Hon. Lanre Oyegbola-Shodipo has highlighted efforts by his administration to address the menace of open defecation in the council.
Recall that the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) had rated the local government as one with higher percentage of open defecation in a recent research.
Speaking with newsmen, Oyegbola-Shodipo stated that the council has established safety marshal to monitor and enforce proper sanitation practices, adding that offenders will be prosecuted
He disclosed further that his administration is currently constructing three public toilets in three communities, while a law to make compulsory the use of mobile toilet at parties is being enacted
“We are going to launch Abeokuta Safety Marshal that will arrest anyone who poo or pee anywhere because we have been reporting as the only local government, open defecation is a peculiar issue in Abeokuta North based on research data.
“Our safety marshals will go around the local government to identify wherever they want to do party and inform them to get mobile toilets, if we go there and we don’t find mobile toilets we will sanction them, and possibly stop the party and charge them to magistrate court.
“We will return to days of “Wolewole” to know how many houses have toilets and how many don’t have, which that have should put them to proper use and that don’t have should use public toilets”, he said.
Oyegbola-Sodipo however, lamented that if open defecation is not prevented, it may lead to cholera outbreaks, which can affect the general public health.