By YANGE IKYAA
In the bid to continually drive the enabling environment for private sector players to contribute and invest across the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene value chain, making significant contribution to Nigeria’s economic indices, the federal ministry of water resources has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Reckitt Benckiser on CLEAN NAIJA PROJECT.
The event took place in Abuja on August 15, 2022.
Speaking at the occasion, the Hon. Minister of water resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, recounted that the ministry’s effort in actualizing its mandate has given birth to some initiatives geared towards improving access to sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.
Having identified the private sector stakeholders in the pursuit of the ministry’s mandate, Adamu said, “we understand as government the need to create an enabling environment and framework that incentivises the participation of the private sector in service delivery”.
He also revealed that a coordinating platform, known as OPWASH (Organized Private Sector in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), was launched in 2019 with the mandate of ensuring effective coordination of the private sector interventions aimed at reducing Nigeria’s poor indices on WASH .
Earlier, the group manager, Sub-Saharan Africa at Reckitt Benckiser, Akbar Ali Shah, said that the main objective of the company is to protect, heal and nurture the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world and it was an honour that the ministry of water resources found her worthy of partnership in it’s “Clean Nigeria Initiative”.
Akbar revealed that Reckitt, through its Dettol brand, has initiated hygiene education programs, and also expressed her resolve to be part of the reason why Nigeria will accomplish one of its objectives, which is reducing diarrhoea related child mortality, in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of 2030, via the “Clean Naija Initiative”.
The group manager, while expressing gratitude, said “Reckitt Nigeria is commiting to partner with the federal ministry of water resources in the area of WASH on zwareness building, eco-syatem creation, infrastructure development and
behavioural change in order to achieve a cleaner and healthier Nigeria”.
Meanwhile, the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed details initiatives on awareness creation, stakeholder collaboration and infrastructural development.
This is intended to contribute to reduction in diarrhoea disease occasioned by poor sanitation and hygiene practices, improvement in sanitation and hygiene services, and the elimination of open defecation, in line with the objectives of the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign.”
The permanent secretary, FMWR Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, assured the group manager of Reckitt of the cooperation of the ministry in the work towards meeting the SDG 6, which is “Water and Sanitation for All.”
