As part of efforts to eradicate open defecation, Ogun State Government has mandated fuel stations, eateries, markets and others to provide functioning public toilets for customers.
Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ola Oresanya gave the order at the commissioning of ultra-modern biogas energy public toilets at the Governor’s office secretariat, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Oresanya stated that the mandate become necessary to promote public hygiene and sanitation in public places and discourage residents from defecating in open places whenever they are in transits or out of their homes when pressed.
To further drive the state government’s determination against open defecation, Oresanya also said henceforth party organizers in the state must provide movable toilets at party venues throughout the state.
He added that environmental sanitation officers from the Ministry of Environment and all the 20 local government council of the state will enforce the directive for effectiveness.
On the part of state government, the commissioner announced that three hundred public toilets with VIP component such as solar panels would be provided in the next six month just as the first phase of fifty already at advanced stage of construction would be ready for commissioning in January.
He said: “All the 20 local government areas of the state will have a minimum of ten public toilets each while the urban local government areas will have a minimum of fifteen to make up the number.”
Oresanya therefore called on residents of the state to make use of the toilets in their various localities to further enhance public hygiene and better standard of living.
He noted: “The public toilets are to complements those in various houses and public places, so that in few months, the state will be declared open defecation free by the Federal Government and other world sanitation bodies.”
Also speaking at the commissioning, Ogun State Head of Service, Dr. Nafiu Aigoro said the biogas energy public toilet which was constructed by Biofil Technology in partnership with the ministry of environment will complement the existing toilets in the state secretariat.
He added that it was the first of its kind in the country with the energy generated from the facility good for cooking or floodlights which is another testimony of the Dapo Abiodun administration’s determination at eradicating open defecation in the state as well as introducing to the residents the benefits of energies generated from septic tanks when properly treated and converted.
