UNCIEF COLLABORATE WITH ENUGU STATE GOVT TO END OPEN DEFECATION IN IGBO-ETITI LGA

REPORTER: EMEFIENA OKONKWO

Communities in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, of Enugu State, the local council and the state government have resolved to ensure that Igbo-etiti Local Government Area is open defecation free.

To achieve that, the stakeholders in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, during a sensitization in the area, inaugurated a grassroot taskforce/committee to ensure that people of the council use toilets and imbibe personal hygiene, including washing hands after using the toilets with water and soap or ash.

Speaking on the event, the Director of Administration, Igbo-etiti Local Government Area, Mr. Geofrey Diyoke, who represented the Acting Chairman, noted that orientation and inauguration of open defecation free team was a success with large turn out of stakeholders and people of the communities.

These included traditional rulers, President General of the various town unions in the area, alongside market women and men.

Mr. Diyoke, who thanked UNICEF for its supports, especially in the areas of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, stated that Igbo-etiti Local Government Area is strongly committed to end open defecation in the communities.

Also the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene co-ordinator, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, Mr. Fidelis Ikeoha, explained that the WASH unit at the local council was sustaining its campaign in the communities on the dangers of open defecation and the need to end it, for healthy living and to save lives.

Mr. Ikeoha noted that the unit had visited the 299 communities in Igbo-etiti Local Government Area.

He announced that so far, 155 communities had been certified to be open defecation free while others were on course towards being certified open defecation free as the unit had been identifying households and compounds that lacked toilets.

In his submission, a Water Sanitation and Hygiene Consultant to UNICEF, Mr. Uche Okpe, highlighted the crucial supports UNICEF had given to Igbo-etiti Local Council and Enugu State Government in the areas of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

Mr. Okpe observed that the intervention had significantly reduced diseases and saved lives, with more people accessing clean water.

He called for sustained collaboration among Igbo-etiti local council, Enugu State Government and UNICEF towards achieving open defecation free Igbo-etiti Local Government Area and other areas in the state.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU