NIGERIANS have been charged to use their votes wisely to demand from political office seekers in their various constituencies come 2019 general elections for an improved living standard in the areas of water, sanitation and hygienic services rather than accept peanuts to induce them to vote and later get abandoned.
The charge was made by a Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Bauchi State lamenting that the electorates have continued to be surcharged by elected politicians immediately they are elected into offices only to come back after a period of time to seek re-election to fulfil their self-ego.
Programme Manager, Women Development Association for Self-Sustenance, Mr Sukumun Ezekiel gave the charge at a one-day stakeholders sensitisation and planning meeting on Vote4 WASH campaign, held at the Bauchi State Network for Civil Society Coalition, (BASNEC) in Bauchi.
While presenting an overview of Strengthening Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, (SWADS) project, Sukumun Ezekiel declared that people have the right to hold government officials accountable for Water, Sanitation and hygiene services so that appropriate actions can be taken where necessary.
He further explained that the SWADS project which is funded by USAID aims at educating citizens on their rights to demand commitment for improved WASH services through the electoral process during 2019 general elections.
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On his part, the Communication Officer of Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition, (FACE-PAM), Ibrahim Ezekiel said that the SWADS project is to launch a vote WASH campaign in the months of August in Bauchi state, adding that the campaign aims at advocating for improved access to WASH services as well as building an effective platform to track commitment made during the campaign before the election.
“One main objective of the Vote WASH campaign is to strengthen the capacities of youth groups, people living with disabilities and media to mobilise citizens to demand improved Water, Hygiene and Sanitation services”, he explained.
Ibrahim Ezekiel added that “The campaign also seeks to educate electoral candidates and political parties on the WASH crisis in their areas and mobilise them to take action to improve WASH services if elected ” he said
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