The Oyo State Government has inaugurated a steering committee to drive the implementation of its Sustainable Urban and Rural Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Programme (OYO-SURWASH), with plans to construct more than 40 public toilet facilities across the state.
In a statement signed by the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, the committee was inaugurated as part of efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the newly signed and adopted Oyo State Urban Sanitation Policy.
The inauguration took place at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, with the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Ademola Aderinto, presiding as chairman of the committee.
Speaking at the event, Aderinto said the committee was established to ensure the actualisation of the objectives and benefits of the OYO-SURWASH Programme.
He stressed that water supply, sanitation and hygiene were collective responsibilities requiring collaboration among different ministries, government agencies and other stakeholders, rather than being left solely to the Ministry of Environment.
According to him, the SURWASH Programme provides an investment-driven framework for attracting partnerships, improving sanitation and delivering better public health, well-being, productivity and life expectancy for residents.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Sunday Akinwale Moradeyo, will serve as vice-chairman, while the Director of Environmental Health Services and Sanitation, Sanitarian Areo Bukola Oluseun, will serve as secretary.
The committee comprises commissioners and representatives of relevant ministries, government agencies, non-governmental organisations and private sector operators.
Speaking on behalf of the private sector, the Managing Director of Zero Degree and Solutions Limited and representative of the Oyo State Young Professionals Programme (YPP) on the committee, Mr. Abduganiyu Abdulateef Olanrewaju, commended the state government for the initiative.
He reaffirmed the commitment of private sector partners to supporting the successful implementation of the programme.
Olanrewaju disclosed that his organisation had been collaborating with the state government on projects aimed at improving public sanitation, including the provision of public toilet facilities.
He further revealed that the government had recently approved the construction of more than 40 public toilet units across the five geopolitical zones of the state.
According to him, work on the facilities is expected to commence soon as part of efforts to achieve the objectives of OYO-SURWASH.
In their separate goodwill messages, representatives of commissioners at the inauguration pledged the commitment of their respective ministries and agencies to supporting the implementation of the sanitation policy and the committee’s mandate.
