By YANGE IKYAA
The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, has said that the Federal Government through its various initiatives has demonstrated its commitment to the provision of adequate Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services because they contribute to the improvement of life, economic development and productivity in line with national and global targets.
Adamu made this known at the Review Meeting for the WASH sector on Tuesday in Abuja.
Engr Adamu revealed that investments in water and sanitation have multiplier effects to individuals and the country, with the concomitant value chain benefits. He added that the government’s efforts in addressing sector challenges and improving the sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene services to all Nigerians include the roll out of Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) Programme; declaration of a state of emergency and the National WASH Action Plan to revitalize the WASH sector; roll out of the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ Campaign, and Executive Order 09, among others.
The minister highlighted that some achievements of the sector include the validation of the Draft National Roadmap for Water Quality Management; Domestication of Hydrogen Sulphide Vials Production for Water Quality Monitoring, and capacity building for laboratory staff on public water uudit to strengthen the enforcement of the National Standard for Drinking Water Quality.
Other government interventions include series of trainings geared at building capacities on different approaches and thematic areas, such as Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Hygiene Promotion, Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management, Sanitation Marketing and Community Water Dafety Plan carried out to strengthen capacity for quality implementation and attainment of sustainable WASH improvements in Nigerian communities.
Adamu further remarked that the Federal Government, through the ministry of water resources, launched the 2021 WASHNORM report and the National Roadmap for Hand Hygiene for all, while the minimum package and contingency plans for hand hygiene supply chain are being finalized.
While emphasizing the need to sustain partnership in accelerating stakeholder engagement and community mobilization, the minister also noted that the Federal Government has kick-started the process of integrating the Africa Sanitation Policy Guidelines (ASPG) into Nigerian National policies, which is expected to inform the development of the National WASH Policy.
He expressed optimism that instituting a Joint Sector Review ( JSR) for the WASH sector in Nigeria will help to align all sector actors to same vision and aspirations and also promote joint accountability.
Earlier in her welcome address, the permanent secretary in the federal ministry of water resources, Didi Walson-Jack, said that the presentations to be made at the review meeting are expected to highlight the successes, challenges and lessons learnt across the thematic areas. She also said that the knowledge gathered will provide the basis for robust engagement of stakeholders in order to arrive at at recommendations that will ensure the sustainability of results, as well as the identification of priorities for future engagements
- The permanent secretary added that the federal ministry is committed to raising the profile of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in the country, and to also ensure sustainable access to basic WASH services for all Nigerians by 2030 in line with Sustainable Development Goals.
