Public hygiene: KD-SURWASH solicits media support to sustain project
By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna
Kaduna State Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply Sanitation and Hygiene (KD- SURWASH) has met with media organisations in the state on the need to sustain it’s hygiene projects.
This is as the management said media as fourth estate of the realm plays important roles as vehicle to drive messages and deliver them appropriately to the citizenry, especially at the grassroots.
Speaking with newsmen in Kaduna during lunch with Heads of Media Organisations and Directors of Programmes, the state Communication Officer, SURWASH Affiong Edim said that the meeting sought to ensure good working relationships between them and the media in the quest to achieve effective reportage for the benefit of all citizens in the state.
She added that SURWASH, as a developmental programme has the major objective to increase access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services, adding that it also aims to strengthen sector institutions in two result-areas in the seven participating states that include Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina and Plateau.
“The strategy aims to ensure that all Nigerians have access to sustainable and safely managed WASH services by 2030, in compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6.1 for water and 6-2 for sanitation.
“This is achievable with the use of two financing instruments: Investment Project Financing (IPF) for capacity improvements and Programme for Result (PforR), which will drive results generation.
”For us in Kaduna State, we have commenced the first phase of construction in health centres and schools. With this development, we need our people to utilize these facilities, not just utilizing but judiciously utilizing, take ownership and ensure they are sustained.“ Edim, said.
Earlier, the State project Coordinator, Mr. Esau Ambinjah while giving an overview of the project, said that SURWASH is a World-Bank supported programme, a transformational step towards achieving Nigeria’s goal to ensure that all Nigerians have access to sustainable and safely managed WASH services.
Esau further disclosed that SURWASH has introduced a result-based approach that simultaneously motivates establishing and operationalizing key policies, regulations and institutional reforms that are required for improved sectoral performance.
He said, “the programme uses two financing instruments namely: Investment Project Financing (IPF) for capacity improvements and sector strengthening and Programme for Result (PforR) which will drive results generation under various Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) after verification by an independent Verification Agents (IVA).
”There are 6,100,000 people to be provided with basic drinking water services. 1,400,000 people were provided with access to improved sanitation services. Others are 500 an open defecation free- verified communities, 2,000 schools and health care facilities to be provided with improved WASH services.”
”The programme became effective on 14th January 2022 with an implementation period of six years and the strategy aims to ensure that all Nigerians have access to sustainable and safely managed WASH services by 2030, in compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6.1 for water and 6-2 for sanitation.
“The pilot LGAs are Chikun, Igabi,Jaba, Jema’a,Sabon Gari and Soba.”
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Public Works and Infrastructure, Ibrahim Hamza, said the programme was all about ensuring sustainability.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Public Works and Infrastructure, Ashiru Abdul, the Commissioner assured that, “we are giving 100 percent support to ensure the success of the project in the state as we give attention to health, water, sanitation and hygiene. If the programme is successful, everything will be fine because health is wealth.” he stressed.
