Osun state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, his wife, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola and the representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Mr Tushar Rane, on Friday led sensitisation campaign against open defecation in Osogbo, the state capital.
They admonished residents of the state against the act and other unhygienic practices.
The trio described the act as uncivilized and inimical to good health as it pollutes the environment and exposes the people to diseases and ill health, which can result to death if not promptly and properly managed.
They gave the warning at the Campaign on Elimination of Open Defecation in the state, a sensitisation programme organised by the office of the First Lady under the IleriOluwa Development Initiative, at Aurora Events Centre, Osogbo.
Oyetola who described ‘health as wealth’, called on the residents of the state to refrain from acts capable of undermining and jeopardizing the quality of their health.
He said his administration is determined to prioritise healthcare which explains the successes the state has recorded so far in its health intervention programmes and initiatives.
Oyetola implored residents, particularly the stakeholders, to join hands with government on the need to putting an end to open defecation and other related unhygienic acts.
The governor further called for a consistent media advocacy, sensitization and enlightenment programmes where the populace would be exposed to tips required to continuously live healthy lives.
In her remarks, the wife of the governor, Kafayat Oyetola, who condemned in strong terms, the act of open defecation, called on the citizens particularly women to imbibe the hygienic measures put in place by the government.
She said the campaigns were put together as a step forward to complement the efforts of the state government on the quest to promote healthy living.
Mrs Oyetola who applauded the administration of government Oyetola for prioritising health sector, said, her office would not rest on its oars until Osun is declared open defecation-free.
She said her office had engaged in massive campaign and sensitisation exercises as part of efforts to promote healthy living and wage war against the menace of open defecation.
For Rane, residents of the state should desist from defeating openly and called for a collective efforts to end the menace.
Also, members of RUWESA, religious leaders, teachers among others also joined in the campaign and called for the stoppage of open defecation.
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