As part of efforts to eradicate open defecation in the state, the Ogun State has warned property owners of old and new houses without toilets in their buildings, to be ready to forfeit their property to the government.
This was made known by the Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ola Oresanya, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, on Wednesday.
- “Henceforth, old houses with collapsed toilets and without provision for new ones and new houses built without toilets will be forfeited to the State Government.
- “We are warning the landlords of those houses to either construct toilets or convert rooms to serve as toilets or risk forfeiting their homes to the State Government,” the Commissioner stated.
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Oresanya further disclosed that the Ogun State government had issued several warnings and abatement notices to property owners over several months to give them enough period for compliance.
Hence, the commissioner said any property owner who refuses to follow the government’s directive to provide toilets in their buildings will have to face the consequences.
- “We have given the landlords a period for compliance, so we are not ready to persuade anyone again to do the needful.
- “For the avoidance of doubt, we are now making it public again that any old or new houses without toilets will be forfeited to the government.
- “After all, the environmental laws of the state allowed the government to take over such homes in the public interest,” Oresanya said.
The commissioner also mentioned that landlords may be charged for endangering the lives of people living in his or her community.
However, Oresanya called on residents of the state, Community Development Associations and Central Development Councils to cooperate with the State Government to make the state defecation-free.
