The governor has also taken steps to make sure people stop defecating in the open in the state.
Also, the state government wants to build public toilets in all of the state's cities.
Emeka Ugoanyanwu, who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Imo State Water and Sewerage Corporation (ISWSC), said this yesterday in Owerri at a meeting with stakeholders.
Tanana Biador, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Urban Water; Eze Ugochukwu, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Enlightenment; Dr. Mike Nwachukwu, the Imo State Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Water Engineers (NIWE); Kingsley Njoku, the Imo Controller of the Nigeria Correctional Service; and Onyenegecha Melford, the Command's Engineer; all attended the forum. ISWA's Chief Executive "Since then, Uzodimma has declared a state of emergency in the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) sector of the state. Despite the progress in the sector, many people still defecate in the open, especially in cities.
"We have asked everyone here today, including the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), Nigeria Breweries Plc, the Nigeria Correctional Services, faeces sludge evacuators, hotel owners, and others, to come up with a new plan to stop people from defecating in the open in the state. The company wants to build public toilets in cities with the help of other companies. The private sector will run the public toilets to make sure they last.
"Open defecation is real and common in Owerri, Okigwe, Orlu, and other cities," Ugoanyanwu said. "Recent studies show that a lot of street vendors in Owerri sleep on the street at night and defecate in the open along riverbanks and waterways."
In their speeches and presentations, Biador, Ugochukwu, and the guest lecturer, Prof. Benedicta Dike, who was represented by a lecturer, Dr. Albert Nwoke, all called for an end to defecating in the open and for people to be environmentally, hygienically, and sanitization-friendly to drastically cut down on the illnesses that come with it.
