The chairman of Igboetiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, Eric Odo, has promised that the council area will attain open defecation free (ODF) status by June.

Mr Odo said on Wednesday that the council would inaugurate a task force to ensure that all households, schools, churches, and markets in the area would soon have functional toilets and handwashing facilities.

He gave the assurance when he hosted Rebecca Gabriel, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) WASH specialist, Enugu field office, in his office at Ogbede.

He said that the June deadline was sacrosanct, adding that the council would set up a mobile court to try landlords without functional toilets in their houses.

He, however, said that his administration would provide toilets to indigent households to promote a healthy environment.

“Igboetiti Local Government Area under me is very committed to attaining the ODF status by June.

“We cannot attain ODF status without getting reliable data about houses with functional toilets and those without,” he said.

Mr Odo said that the data would guide his administration’s actions in achieving the set goal.

“I will meet with religious leaders on the need for them to mandate priests under them to build functional toilets and handwashing facilities in their various churches.

“I have mandated various market committees in the LGA to build decent toilet facilities for traders.

“We will not tolerate people defecating or urinating in an open space within our markets,” Mr Odo said.

On water, he said that he was working closely with the state ministry of water resources and the Enugu state rural water supply and sanitation Agency to resuscitate non-functional boreholes in the area.

According to him, his administration is doing everything possible to see that boreholes in Ukehe, Umuna, Ozalla, Ohebe-Dim, and other communities get needed attention.

He appealed to UNICEF to assist the council in the provision of water to complement the council’s efforts at promoting hygiene.

Mr Odo said that his administration was committed to promoting WASH activities.

Responding, the WASH specialist commended the chairman for efforts at ensuring that the council area would attain ODF status.

She described it as a laudable goal.

She said that UNICEF would support the council area by strengthening its WASH system.

She urged the WASH team in the Igboetiti council area to remain focused and ensure achievement of the June deadline.

(NAN)