20th November, 2019
As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to celebrate 2019 World Toilet Day, with the theme, “Leaving No One Behind”, Wife of Ondo State Governor, Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu has admonished women in the State to embrace good personal hygiene and sanitation in order to forestall the spread of killer diseases, just as she organises “WASH N’ PLAY ” initiative to commemorate the Day and launching of the Clean Nigeria Campaign.
The WASH N’ PLAY Initiative is aimed at raising awareness on the state of WASH infrastructure in public schools in Ondo State and further increases citizens participation to solve the WASH problems.
Towards this end, a fundraising novelty match has also been organised to mark this event, so as to enable interested persons contribute towards creating a disease-free environment, as funds raised will be used to construct toilet and water facilities in selected public schools with the worst WASH indices.
For about two years, the Wife of the Governor, through one of her Foundations, Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu Foundation (BAAF) and the support of Ondo State citizens have provided not less than 24 toilet units and water facilities for schools in Ondo State. Some of the beneficiaries include Ilu Abo High School, Ilu Abo in Akure North Local Government and Okeigbo Grammer School, Okeigbo in Ile Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government.
While calling for collective actions in curbing inter-border sanitation crisis and revealing the importance of toilet in saving lives of the people, Mrs. Akeredolu affirmed that the United Nations set aside 19th of November annually to raise awareness on sanitation and hygiene in our communities, thus, marking the World Toilet Day.
She said, “the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu understands the importance of the celebration and is determined to tackle sanitation challenges in the State, saying it is part of the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically the Goal 6 which promises sanitation for every household by 2030”.
Arabinrin further hinted that available records show that across the world, 4.2 billion people live without safely managed sanitation, 673 million still practise open defecation, while three billion lack basic handwashing facilities; while in Nigeria, 47 million people do not use toilets causing nearly 87,000 diarrheal related deaths in children under the age of five and therefore advised women to teach their children/wards basic hygiene and always pay attention to those people left behind without sanitation.
The First Lady also noted that people must use hygienic toilet facilities, where human waste are safely disposed and prevented from causing endemic diseases.