Gov Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has inaugurated the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) project to address the challenge of access to potable water supply, sanitation and hygiene in the state.
Sule inaugurated the project in Kokona Local Government Area of the state on Friday.
He said that the project was in line with his administration’s commitment toward keying into the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Programme recently declared by the Federal Government.
The governor was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Mr Nuhu Usman -Bunu.
He noted that the PEWASH project was aimed at increasing access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene across rural communities in the state.
“Today’s occasion is important and timely; it’s a demonstration of our administration’s commitment to key into National Action Plan for the revitalisation of the WASH programme declared by the President Muhammadu Buhari.
“As part of efforts to meet global standard as envisioned by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this administration takes informed decision to revive moribund Nasarawa State Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (NARUWASA) to address water challenge,” he said.
The governor explained that the state had recorded significant progress in the implementation of the PEWASH Programme, adding that it had paid N250 million counterpart fund and signed other technical requirements in that regard.
Sule expressed his resolve to vigorously pursue the SDGs Goal six to ensure that no one was left behind in the implementation of the national action plan.
He urged the six benefiting local government areas to give the necessary support for the implementation of the project.
The governor listed the six benefitting local government areas for the project to include; Nasarawa, Kokona, Awe, Akwanga, Lafia and Wamba.
Sule commended the Federal Government for training 600 youths from the benefiting councils as Sanitation Volunteers to work with local government WASH units to roll out the “Clean Nigeria, Use the Toilet Campaign” over the next three months.
Mr Danjuma Madaki, Director of Water Supply, NARUWASA, said the primary goal of the PEWASH project was to contribute to the improvement of public health and eradication of poverty by 2030, especially in rural areas.
Madaki explained that the project which was designed to run for 15 years, was divided into three phases; 2016 – 2018 preparatory phase; 2019 – 2025, expansion phase; and 2026 – 2030, consolidation phase, respectively.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PEWASH Programme was launched by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Nov. 7, 2016 in Abuja. (NAN)