By Abdallah el-Kurebe, Editor
Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, and community groups in Sokoto, have decried government’s non implementation of Effective Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (E-WASH) and Open Government Partnership (OGP) policies in the state.
A statement made available to Newsdiaryonline on Thursday, by the State Team Leader of OGP, Dr Awwal Ahmed, on behalf of other CSOs, said E-WASH project personnel had already left Sokoto and that only Tambuwal could mobilise them back to sign the documents.
He observed that some states had implemented E-WASH and OGP and were making impacts on people’s lives, while other states were making efforts to domesticate the documents to suit their cultural and religious practices.
“In his wisdom, Tambuwal have engaged many international and national developmental partners in the areas of health, education, water and sanitation, economic empowerment of girls and women, abused amongst others.
“These development partners work toward fulfilling their mandates, which is in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Signing the relevant Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs), policy documents and laws will drive necessary reforms and ensure improved service delivery,’’ Ahmed said.
He disclosed that Sokoto had a window to benefit from the programme by signing the documents till March 22, adding that the township water supply and public hygiene in E-WASH project, is beneficial to the people of the state.
Dr Ahmad stated that since E-WASH came to the state, facilitate draft policy document was put in place; strong community structures including women and youths, traditional leaders and community of practice, were formed.
E-WASH project, according to him, had “conducted research on effective measures to ensure water supply all year round and significant improvement was recorded on water supply, management and hygiene in the state.”
Ahmed said senior government officials, community leaders and project personnel, had agreed on the draft policy, because it was not in conflict with religion or cultural norms in the state.
Responding to media queries on the development, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Umar Bature said while the state government was committed to the implementation of the project, the project managers had issued non realistic timing.
According to him, the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, and draft policy met existing water law in the state and that stakeholders were working to merge E-WASH’s inputs with that from the Ministry of Justice.
“Governor Tambuwal is willing to sign the document, however, there is need to understand it better and make it relevant not to run into conflict with available regulations.
“E-WASH is preparatory to multinationals to invest in water supply in Sokoto as their sole agenda and they are pursuing it.
“No monetary aspect in the MoU, but only utility fund where they can provide machines or similar support.
“The water project is centred on providing Technical Assistance, Improve Water Supply, Capacity Building and Corporatisation of Water Board.
“In Sokoto, we consider water supply as social services, so there is need for sequential follow up of the project to be implemented through circulating right information and activities,’’ Bature said.
E-WASH is aimed at engaging in new urban water and sanitation activities and targets to provide potable water and hygiene services to at least 500,000 families in each of the six benefiting states.
It is a $60.4 million project, where USAID will provide assistance to Abia, Delta, Imo, Niger, Sokoto, and Taraba states.
