FG Reaffirms Commitment to Universal Access to Safe Water, Sanitation Services
FG Reaffirms Commitment to Universal Access to Safe Water, Sanitation Services
FG Reaffirms Commitment to Universal Access to Safe Water, Sanitation Services
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring universal access to clean, safe and sustainable water and sanitation services for Nigerians.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, FNSE, stated this on Tuesday while addressing participants at the ongoing Africa Water and Sanitation Systems Leadership Symposium in Kigali, Rwanda.
Prof. Utsev said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had embarked on reforms aimed at transforming Nigeria’s water and sanitation sector from a fragmented system into a more coordinated national framework involving federal, state and local governments, development partners and the private sector.
He highlighted key government initiatives, including the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) programme, Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign, Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN), Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) and the National Action Plan.
According to the Minister, these initiatives are being implemented in collaboration with development partners such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, UNICEF and WaterAid, as well as private-sector stakeholders, to complement government resources and expand access to essential services.
Utsev disclosed that, in line with Nigeria’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 by 2030, the Ministry had commenced the development of a National Water Compact designed around three key priorities: water for people, water for food and water for the planet.
He said the initiative was being developed in collaboration with state and local governments, adding that the final draft of the National Water Compact would be validated by stakeholders later this month.
The Minister also said Nigeria, through the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), was collaborating with other African countries towards the implementation of the Africa Implementation Programme (AIP).
He called for stronger cooperation among African leaders, development partners, financial institutions, the private sector and other stakeholders to accelerate progress towards universal access to safe, reliable and sustainable water and sanitation services across the continent.
Rwanda Calls for Practical Action
Earlier, while declaring the symposium open, the Prime Minister of Rwanda, Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva, urged African leaders and development partners to move beyond commitments and take practical steps towards achieving the continent’s vision of universal access to sustainable water and sanitation services by 2063.
The symposium, themed “Accelerating Water and Sanitation Transformation for Sustainable Impact,” is hosted by the Government of Rwanda, co-convened by the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) and facilitated by IRC Africa.
The high-level gathering focuses on strengthening leadership, governance, regulation, professional capacity and strategic public financing to build reliable and investment-ready water and sanitation systems across Africa.
More than 700 delegates from Africa and around the world are participating in the symposium, which provides a platform for governments, development partners, experts and other stakeholders to share experiences and develop practical strategies for transforming the continent’s water and sanitation sector.
FG Reaffirms Commitment to Universal Access to Safe Water, Sanitation Services
