Engr. Suleiman Adamu, Minister of Water Resources, made this call during an Open Defecation Free (ODF) advocacy visit to the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki.
He underscored the need for Edo State Government to increase investments in the Water and Sanitation (WASH) sector, adding that the need to increase investment in the sector has become imperative.
Adamu said about 47million Nigerians still practise open defecation, adding that of 774 local government areas in Nigeria, only 13 have achieved Open Defecation Free status.
He said as an incentive to encourage states to achieve ODF status, the Federal Government would match financial provisions made available by states in the area of WASH, adding that reliance on budgetary allocations alone would not bridge the funding gap.
According to him, “You find out that the facilities are inadequate, statistics have shown that generally in Nigeria, in 1992, that 30 per cent of Nigerians were enjoyed pipe-borne water but as of 2015, it has dropped to 7per cent only.”
He described as inadequate water infrastructure in the country and identified the burgeoning population and ageing of installed water infrastructure as reasons for the shortfall in supply, saying it requires maintenance.
The minister explained that under the PE-WASH agreement, Kano and Ogun States were currently used as pilot states as they are the pioneers that signed the protocols.
He advised the Edo State Government to declare a state of emergency in the water and sanitation sector as well as enact legislation to end open defecation in the State.
It would be recalled that PE-WASH, a partnership between Federal Government and States had so far recorded about 24 States that have signed into the protocols.
In his response, the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, pledged to join the league of governors who are WASH champions, as he signed the PEWASH protocols towards ensuring that Nigeria achieves Sustainable Millennium Goals (SDGs) 6.1 and 6.2 on water and sanitation.
Obaseki said the State would adopt Federal Ministry of Water Resources WASH Action Plan and work with Open Defecation Free Roadmap.
He assured that political will would be provided to achieve Open Defecation Free status in the State.
Obaseki further solicited technical assistance for improving the WASH sector in Edo State, while revealing his plans to build water entrepreneurs, saying that water is a commodity that must be paid for.
While in Edo State, the Minister of Water Resources also inspected the pilot Songhai farming project of Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority.
Post A Comment: