By Onwa Ekor, Calabar
Yala local government area in Cross River has taken significant steps to regain its open defecation-free (ODF) status, which it achieved in 2012.
To tackle the alarming rate of unsanitary conditions due to the lack of potable water, the Cross River government recently collaborated with partners including, Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) and Self Help Africa (SHA), to set up a local task Group on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (LTG-WASH).
The LTG-WASH team, inaugurated in Okpoma the headquarters of Yala and headed by Director of Primary Healthcare Development in the area, Dr. Augustina Okem, is aimed at ensuring that Yala regains its ODF status.
The initiative became crucial as open defecation poses severe health risks, particularly for children under five years old, who are vulnerable to diseases caused by poor sanitation and hygiene practices.
In his key note address, the council chairman, Dr. Fred Okem, stressed the need for swift intervention to address the negative health impacts of open defecation in the area.
To achieve this goal, the Council Chairman urged the team to focus on improving access to clean water, sanitation facilities, and promoting good hygiene practices among residents.
According to him, “It is a welcomed opportunity. We all know our problem in Yala, we don’t have water. We go to the bush to defecate, it is not a good practice, we should avoid it.”
He said, “you know what we mean by task force, we are the foot soldiers, we are the educators. All of us should put our hands together to ensure this programme succeeds.
Chairman, State Task Group on WASH, Mr Okon Ita, charged the group to live up to their responsibility by ensuring that they carry out their duties diligently.
Represented by a Director in the Ministry of water resources, Engr Elemi Nkanu, he explained that the task group would be responsible for harmonizing all WASH initiatives in the local government area.
He charged all in the area to support the LTG-WASH to ensure that Yala local Government attained an ODF status again as the need to revive the sector cannot be overemphasized.
On his part, National Coordinator of the Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), Mr Attah Benson, said, “If you eat, you must defecate; therefore, we need to keep our toilets and environment clean. This meeting is to strengthen and change the way we do things.”
He appealed to the Chairman to ensure that the LTG-WASH works by giving them the all-round support they desire, maintaining that, “we need a good system that functions and the government has a lot of roles to play.”
Responding on behalf of her team members, the Yala LTG-WASH Chairman, Dr Augustina Okem, expressed her desire to lead the group, promising to put in their best in making the area Open Defecation Free as soon as possible.
It would be recalled that Yala was one of the first areas in Nigeria to achieve ODF status, alongside Ikom local government area.
