Ona-Ara LGA Declared Open Defecation Free in Major Sanitation Milestone

Ona-Ara LGA Declared Open Defecation Free in Major Sanitation Milestone

Ona-Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State has been officially declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) by the National Task Group on Sanitation, marking a significant achievement in the state’s drive to improve sanitation, hygiene, and public health outcomes.

The validation, confirmed by the Clean Nigeria Campaign, followed a comprehensive assessment conducted by the National ODF Task Group in collaboration with the Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (OYORUWASSA), Ona-Ara Local Government authorities, and technical support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Chairman of OYORUWASSA, Alhaji Babalola Afobaje, who spoke on the development on Wednesday, attributed the milestone to the effective implementation of Governor Seyi Makinde’s “Omituntun 2.0” development agenda. He emphasized that access to clean water and proper sanitation remains a fundamental human right critical to public health, economic development, and human dignity.

Afobaje noted that the achievement aligns with the Oyo State Government’s target of attaining open defecation-free status across all 33 local government areas by 2028, a key component of its broader environmental and health reform strategy.

According to him, the ODF status was attained after the evaluation confirmed 100 per cent access to functional and hygienic toilet facilities in households and public institutions across Ona-Ara.

He further explained that the success recorded in the local government was largely driven by the adoption of the Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach, which promotes behavioral change and community ownership rather than reliance solely on infrastructure.

Describing the achievement as a model for replication, Afobaje said the intervention has significantly reduced cases of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhoea, particularly among vulnerable groups including children and the elderly.

Also speaking, the General Manager of OYORUWASSA, Mr. A.M. Adeduntan, stressed the importance of sustainable water supply in maintaining sanitation gains. He disclosed that the agency has installed several solar-powered motorised boreholes within the local government to guarantee consistent access to clean water.

“Sanitation outcomes cannot be sustained without adequate clean water supply. The state remains committed to bridging this gap to ensure lasting impact,” Adeduntan said.

The agency further revealed that similar sanitation initiatives are currently underway in other parts of the state, including Ibarapa East and Egbeda local government areas, where efforts are being intensified through stricter environmental enforcement and increased provision of standard sanitation facilities.

The declaration of Ona-Ara as Open Defecation Free is widely regarded as a major public health milestone for Oyo State and a strategic template for other local governments aiming to achieve similar outcomes.