By Odili Christel
In its bid to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 and to keep on with the present administration’s development policy,
the Federal Government has launched the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) and also unveiled the National Water Resources and National Irrigation Policies.
The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo who launched the programme in Abuja said that the programme and the policies would address the challenges being faced in the water supply and sanitation sub-sector, adding that it was a good foundation towards achieving Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals of ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
According to him, clean portable water for human consumption and other uses together with adequate sanitation was critical factors for socio-economic development that cannot be overemphasized.
He stated that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari placed priority on infrastructure development including those of water supply and sanitation towards ensuring better life for our people.
His words, ‘’from the inception of this administration, we have demonstrated serious commitment to the development of the water sector by first of all preserving the ministry of water resources and appointing a seasoned engineer as the minister.
‘’Our country is vast with increasing rate of urbanization, recent indices for water supply and sanitation access calls on government at all levels to redouble their efforts and work in synergy towards meeting the nation’s water supply and sanitation demands.”
He urged the participant of the retreat to think outside the box and come out with practical solutions that will rapidly improve access to pipe born water and adequate sanitation in our urban areas, appreciating World Bank and other development partners for their support to the water sector. He called on all stakeholders, especially states and local governments to key into the PEWASH initiative and commit to its success so that the common developmental goals can be achieved.
Earlier, the Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Sulieman Adamu, in his address, noted that the Nigeria constitution allowed the issues of water supply and sanitation services to be handled by the three tiers of government and in pursuance of this, the Federal Executive Council as well as the National Economic Council approved the National Water Supply and Sanitation Policy in 2000.
The minister lamented that the laudable objective of the Water Sanitation Policy had not been met 17 years down the line, calling for the need for serious review of the policy with a view of fashioning out model that will enhance more collaborative efforts of all the three tiers of government and to promote private sector participation and access to other sources of funding the urban water supply and sanitation.
Adamu, who quoted a summary of the ‘Nigeria Wash Diagnostic Report’ launched by the Prof. Osinbanjo, said, ‘’Nigeria’s water sector faces significant challenge with 61% of Nigerians having access to improve water, but only 31% have access to improve water on premises.
‘’Access to pipe water on the premises in urban areas has declined from 32% in 1990 to 7% in 2015. In the case of sanitation, only 29% of Nigeria have access to improve sanitation. The report went further to highlight that public expenditure in water and sanitation is limited and we need to invest at least three times more than we do to achieve the SDGs in Wash”, he said.