3 additional LGAs to attain open defecation free status

BAUCHI State Government has concluded arrangements to ensure that three additional local government areas attain open defecation free status before the end of the first quarter of this year in line with its determination to replicate the feat which has been achieved in Dass Local Council two years ago.

The Permanent Secretary, Bauchi state Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), Engineer Garba Babaji dropped this hint at a weeklong start-up workshop on strengthening Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Delivery Systems Project (SWADS) held in Abuja.

He said the 1.3 USD (one point three million Dollar) project which would be implemented in Bauchi state would attract funding from Hongkong Shanghai Banking Corporation with support from WaterAid Nigeria, saying “the project will bring about a shift from a sentimental method of planning in the past which had negative impact on rural development”.

Engineer Babaji explained that government was determined to promote equity, inclusiveness and ensure sustainability of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services across the nooks and crannies of Bauchi state without prejudice to any community.

“The choice of Kirfi LGA by WaterAid for the implementation of the SWAD pilot project will signal the commencement of state government’s WASH transformation initiative”, he said.

The Permanent Secretary of RUWASA further told participants at the workshop that Bauchi state government would partner donor agencies to reactivate malfunctioned WASH facilities spread across the state, emphasizing that, “through the strategic plan, our urban sanitation and sewerage management would be holistically addressed in both urban and rural areas”.

He regretted that lack of synergy between Line ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) had hindered WASH goals from been achieved, but promised that henceforth the MDAs would jointly mobilize and harness resources for the attainment of SDG Goal-6.

Engineer Garba Babaji expressed optimism that with the technical expertise of WaterAid, Bauchi state government had already reviewed all existing legal and regulatory framework on WASH, stressing that, “this has facilitated the release of eight million naira to upgrade household toilets in the state”.

Earlier, WaterAid Country Director, Dr Catherine Aniagolu-Okoye said with the current population increase in Bauchi state, the government must strive to improve WASH infrastructure through an effective partnership with donor partners stressing that, “without government’s political will there would be no sustainability as partnership is synonymous with delivery of water point to consumers”.

The workshop was attended by the permanent secretaries of the Bauchi state ministries of education, health, environment, budget and planning, local government affairs, rural water supply and sewerage agency RUWASA, CSO’s and WASH media representatives.