The Oyo State House of Assembly has proposed that any resident of the State found guilty of defecating openly shall be liable to one week non-custodial punishment or N5,000 fine.
Deputy Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Muhammed Abiodun Fadeyi made this revelation while addressing journalists on Monday in Ibadan, the State capital.
Fadeyi said that the punishment attached to open defecation was sequel to a bill he sponsored at the floor of the Assembly.
The Deputy Speaker, who currently represents Ona Ara State Constituency, said that the bill entitled, “Oyo State Open Defecation prohibition bill 2020”, will prohibit open defecation in any part of the State.
He said that any person who owns a premises and refused to provide toilet facilities within three (3) months from the commencement of the bill commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 3 months or a fine of N50,000, or both.
Fadeyi said he sponsored the bill to discourage open defecation and to ensure safe and hygienic environment for residents of the state.
He said that, “I have sponsored another bill, it is known as ‘Oyo State Open defecation prohibition bill 2020’.
“This is a bill for a law to prohibit open defecation in Oyo State and for connected purposes.
“We need to eradicate open defecation in the state. When it becomes law, any person who defecates faeces in open place commits an offence and is liable to a fine of N5,000 or non-custodial punishment for one week.
“Personally on my own, this bill which is being sponsored by me, is a law that is going to curb open defecation in Oyo State. It is at the committee level, very soon we will do a public hearing on it.
“Any person who owns a premises shall make provision for toilet facilities in such premises.
“Any person who owns a premises and refuses or fails to provide toilet facilities within 3 months from the commencement of this bill commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 3 months or a fine of N50,000 or both.”