Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has declared state of emergency in Water, Sanitation and Hygienic (WASH) sector in the state.
The governor has, also, taken steps to ensure open defecation is stopped in the state.

Also, the state government is planning construction of public toilets across urban cities in the state.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Imo State Water and Sewerage Corporation (ISWSC), Emeka Ugoanyanwu disclosed this, in Owerri, yesterday, during stakeholders’ engagement forum.

In the forum, which was attended by the Special Adviser to the governor on Urban Water, Tanana Biador; Special Adviser (Public Enlightenment) to the governor, Eze Ugochukwu; the Imo State Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Water Engineers (NIWE), Dr. Mike Nwachukwu; Imo Controller, Nigeria Correctional Service, Kingsley Njoku, represented by the Command’s Engineer, Onyenegecha Melford, ISWA’s Chief Executive said: “Uzodimma, has since declared state of emergency in WASH sector in the state. Despite the progress in the sector, many people, especially in urban centres, still practice open defecation.

“We have invited all of you today, including the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), Nigeria Breweries Plc, the Nigeria Correctional Services, fecal sludge evacuators, hotel proprietors, and others, to chart a new approach to ending open defecation in the state. The corporation is proposing the construction of public toilets across urban cities, in partnership with corporate organisations. The public toilets will be managed by the private sector to ensure sustainability.

Ugoanyanwu said: “Open defecation is real and prevalent in urban cities of Owerri, Okigwe, Orlu and other places. Recent studies show that a good percentage of hawkers in Owerri sleep on the street at night, and openly defecate along the river banks and waterways.”

In their speeches and presentations, Biador and Ugochukwu, as well as the guest lecturer, Prof. Benedicta Dike, represented by a lecturer, Dr. Albert Nwoke, called for a stop to open defecation, and the need to be environmentally, hygienically and sanitation friendly to reduce, drastically, its associated illnesses.