Oyo inaugurates 20-man Task Group on Sanitation

The Oyo State Government has inaugurated a twenty-man State Task Group on Sanitation (STGS) to eliminate open defecation and ensure equitable water, sanitation and hygiene by 2028.

The Task group, chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Olanike Adeyemo, will coordinate and drive implementation of the National Open Defecation Free (ODF) Certification Protocol, to sensitize our communities, and to institutionalize hygiene practices across our schools, market places, healthcare facilities, and households.

This was revealed by the Deputy Governor, Barrister Bayo Lawal, who inaugurated the group on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.

According to the Deputy Governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, the group will address sanitation gaps in the state and end open defecation in Oyo state by 2028.

He charged the task group to step up the efficacy of awareness at public facilities on the need to own basic sanitation facilities.

“Many institutions still lack basic sanitation facilities- step up the efficacy of awareness, backing it up with tangent reasons to procure these facilities”, he said.

He expressed the state government’s commitment towards eradicating open defecation, which informed the launching of STGS in the State.

In his welcome address, the Chairman, Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (OYORUWASSA), Alhaji Babalola Afobaje, said the inauguration of the task group will help to improve the sanitation and hygiene activities in Oyo State.

The Chairman highlighted that previously, Oyo State ranked among the worst for the prevalence of open defecation, according to a 2021 survey conducted by the Water Sanitation and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM).

Also, the Chairman, Oyo State House of Assembly Committee on Environment, Ecology and Water Resources, Hon. Olorunpoto Cephas, reaffirmed the commitment of the state House of Assembly to support the mandate through enabling legislation, effective oversight, and advocacy.

“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”, he pointed out.

The United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) WASH Consultant, Mr. Monday Johnson, briefed the gathering that the group comprises government delegates responsible for conducting complementary, collaborative and oversight duties on the state sanitation programmes and projects.

The other members of the Task group  include Mr. Omoyele Omofoyewa; Olalekan Isaac; Oyedele Oladayo; Rafiu Baasit; Mr. Obatowon and Mr. Abayomi Yusuff.

Others are Mrs. Aileru-Foster; Mr. Olamide Adeniji; Mr. Femi Amusan; Mr. Ramoni Afeez; Mr. Adedeji Sunday; Mrs. Adewole Deola; Mrs. Oloyede Abimbola; Mrs. Mustapha Haulat; Mrs. Oyewole Bukola; Pastor Marcus; Dr. Adio Olusegun and Alhaja Aliu Jemilat, among others.