Wife of the Osun State governor, Alhaja Sherifat Abidemi Aregbesola has reiterated that, on her own part as the Community Led Total Sanitation, CLTS Ambassador, she would not relent in ensuring that an open defecation is totally free in the state while she would continue to put efforts in collaborating with the private sectors, foreign agencies, development partners, government and non-governmental agencies who are willing to support the CLTS programme in all ways.
Alhaja Aregbesola gave the assurance while receiving members of the State Task Group on Sanitation who was in her office to discuss the roles and responsibilities of the group led by the Special Adviser to the governor, Ministry of Water Resources, Rural development and Community Affairs, Hon. Adekunle Emmanuel Ige and the Programme Manager (PM) Rural Water Environmental Sanitation Agency (RUWESA), Alhaji Posi Adiatu.
The CLTS Ambassador who appealed to residents of every communities across the state to join hands with her in ensuring that there is a total war against open defecation in their areas further stated that, he would not relent in making sure that the programme is successful while the community leaders should also assist in creating awareness for the programme for the betterment of all and sundry.
Alhaja Aregbesola further used the medium to commend all agencies in the state that are already in connection with the CLTS.
Earlier in his welcome speech, the Special Adviser to the governor, Ministry of Water Resources, Community Development and Rural Affairs, Hon. Adekunle Emmanuel Ige described the Community Led Total Sanitation, CLTS as the only way, appropriate and most effective in achieving rapid coverage of sanitation in every community.
Ige said that, purpose of the visit of the group was to familiarize the group with the Ambassador and to discuss the roles and responsibility of the group.
“Roles of the state task group on sanitation includes, to strengthening inter ministries and agencies collaboration, to participate in bi-monthly environmental sanitation exercise, to make the state of Osun open defecation free, ODF, and to verify and certify the ODF communities that the Ambassador will be the major signatory to the ODF certificate”, Ige added.
Also speaking, the Programme Manager RUWESA, Alhaji Posi Adiatu said the group was last year November inaugurated with the aim of supporting the Ambassador in making the state free from open defecation.
Adiatu however informed Alhaja Aregbesola that she would be the one leading the state task group on sanitation within the state or outside the state, eg, the fifth National Roundtable Conference scheduled for Benue state.