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Don decries open defecation

By Rotimi Agboluaje, Ibadan
29 December 2019   |   3:03 am
First Nigerian professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Godson Ana, has decried open defecation and poor hygienic practice in the country

First Nigerian professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Godson Ana, has decried open defecation and poor hygienic practice in the country, calling on Nigerians to change their terrible environmental culture.

Ana also called on the Federal Government to implement extant policies and allocate more funds to meet the target of ending open defecation by 2030.

The don stated this at the inauguration of a non-governmental organisation, Child Health Environment and Safety Trust (CHEST), which is part of activities lined up to mark his 50th birthday in Ibadan.

Ana, who noted that the country leads in open defecation, attributed the practice to poor environmental behaviour and terrible hygienic practice.

He said: “We need to change the behaviourial aspect of our lives. Why do you eat a banana and throw away the peel anyhow? Why do people just want to urinate everywhere they stand? It is a decayed culture. It starts with a good upbringing. These are the things we are trying to address. The role of the government is to ensure that policies are implemented. We have a lot of policies, but the goodwill is not there. So, the government must be committed to the implementation of policies.”

He called for public-private partnership to address the menace, stressing that 2030 target can only be achieved, based on the level of commitment and support.

The guest lecturer, Prof Janice Olawoye, who spoke on the theme: Born for Greatness: Bringing out the Potential of our Children in a Conducive Environment, pointed out that educating children, equipping them and providing the right environment to fulfill their purpose and potential is a great task.

Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Daud Shangodoyin said if students learned in a conducive environment, it would contribute to their performance.

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