Environment
African Ministers To Support, Track Nigeria’s WASH Commitment
African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), has pledged commitment to support Nigeria in actualising its Sanitation And Water For All (SWA) with a view to improving sanitation and hygiene by 2025.
AMCOW’s Acting Executive Secretary, Mr Thomas Banda, said this while receiving members of the Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) in Abuja.
The Tide source reports that the Federal Government, through the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, had in 2019, pledged the creation of a $122 billion Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) fund to meet the country’s target.
Banda urged member states to align its National sanitation policies in line with the sustainable development goals.
He said that the newly released African Sanitation Policy Guidelines (ASPG) was a continental guideline that prescribed the benchmark on what a sanitation policy should look like.
“We urge our member states to sit back and review their sanitation policies that are already in place, From our statistics, most of these sanitation policies that were reviewed were done during the MDGs.
“But now that we are talking about the SDGs, for us to achieve the SDG six on accelerated access to sanitation, we really need to make sure that these sanitation policies are very much focused on the SDGs and not the MDGs.
“We also noted that there are quite a lot of gaps in existing policies in the countries, a lot of countries do not have sanitation policy guidelines at all.
“So, we developed the continental ASPG to provide some guidelines to member states, so that they can come up with their own tailor-made sanitation policies,” Bandan said.
He commended NEWSAN on its activities towards supporting the country in scaling up access to improved sanitation and hygiene and pledged to continue to advocate continentally.
He noted that AMCOW’s mandate was continental and Nigeria’s mandate was just one out of its 55 member states, saying the continental progress report done annually showed that Nigeria had some positive trends that showed it was moving in the right trajectory.
“We have heard about the Clean Nigeria campaign, it is a very good initiative and many other indicators that show that it is moving well, but just like any other member states, there are still some challenges.
“A lot of investment gaps, if we are to achieve our water and sanitation related goals in the SDGs, we still have a lot of things to achieve by closing the investment gaps.
“It has been quite a positive visit, ideas have been exchanged, AMCOW as a continental organisation can put in a voice to member states’ aspirations domestically”.
Mr Benson Attah, NEWSAN’s National Coordinator, said the visit was an advocacy to support government’s effort and track commitments made to the Sanitation and Water for All in 2019 which it proposed the establishment of a WASH fund for the country.
The Lagos State Government has commenced installation of new pumps at the Iju Headworks and Akute water intake stations.
The Tide source reports that the project is aimed at increasing water production, improving operational efficiency and expanding access to potable water across the state.
A statement issued by the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) over the weekend said the project was approved and funded by the state government.
It said the installation was part of the rehabilitation of the Iju Headworks and Akute Intake Station under Lots 1, 2 and 3.
According to LWC, the rehabilitation is designed to modernise water production facilities, strengthen operations and improve public water supply.
The Network of Female Professionals in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Nigeria (FEMinWASH) and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) are set to partner on gender-responsive systems strengthening, capacity development and WASH initiatives.
The partnership was proposed during a courtesy visit by a FEMinWASH delegation, led by its President and Convener, Dr Boluwaji Onabolu, to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, in Abuja.
Onabolu, who conveyed greetings from FEMinWASH Patron, retired Engineer Ebele Okeke, commended Walson-Jack for upholding the Federal Civil Service’s EPIC values of Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible and Citizen-centred leadership.
She praised the HoCSF’s efforts in advancing gender inclusion in WASH and the civil service, including the development of the National Gender in Water Resources Mainstreaming Policy and mentoring programmes for women leaders.
Onabolu also highlighted the INSPIRE (Inclusive Network for Supporting Progressive Leadership, Innovation, Reform and Equity for Women) programme, aimed at strengthening women’s leadership and inclusion.
She said FEMinWASH was seeking a formal partnership and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the OHCSF to support INSPIRE, WASH advocacy, capacity building and the institutionalisation of Gender-Responsive Budgeting across the Federal Civil Service.
Responding, Walson-Jack commended the diverse expertise of the FEMinWASH delegation, noting that professionals in WASH, water resources, environment, public health, town planning and education were critical to addressing development challenges.
She welcomed the proposed partnership, assuring that the OHCSF was ready to collaborate with FEMinWASH on civil service strengthening and WASH-related initiatives.
The meeting agreed to further engagements with Dr Garba, Permanent Secretary (Special Duties), and Ms Funke Baruwa, Lead for Partnerships at the OHCSF, to advance the collaboration.
The visit ended with a photo session and exchange of gifts between both parties.
The Special Adviser on Environment, Mr Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, commended the community on the massive turn-out for sanitation.
He also appreciated the chairman and his team for their support to the ministry.
Rotimi-Akodu urged the community to continue to support the council and by extension, the government, by participating in the exercise and engaging in proper disposal of wastes.
“We have heard your appeal, and I assure you that Lagos government will do something about it.
“Although we have PSP operators in this axis, maybe they were assigned to other areas.
“However, I will ensure something is done and residents will observe the improvement.” the advisor said.
Also, the Managing Director, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LASMA), Mr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said that waste management was a collective exercise.
Gbadegbesin, therefore, appealed to the residents to always dispose of their wastes properly.
“You must bag your waste at home. Make sure you have a bin to keep the waste for few days, even if there is a delay by the PSP operator.
“Make sure you pay your PSP operator on time because there is no way they can provide that service if you are not paying them regularly.
The Non Governmental Organization (NGO) Go Green Nigeria Foundation, , has called for more stringent government efforts toward prohibition of illegal sand mining in Rivers, following erosion threats.
The founder of NGO Dr John Babington made the call on last Monday in Umuechem, Etche Local Government Area of Rivers, to commemorate the International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems.
Babington, who sensitised the community on dangers associated with crude sand mining, donated some trees as part of efforts to promote tree planting and revitalisation of the altered mangrove ecosystem.
During an interactive session with the community, the environmental expert identified various concerns and commended residents for their willingness to work together to end the excavation.
He, however, dismissed the notion that illegal sand mining was due to poverty and unemployment, saying, ”the business is a capital intensive venture that could only be operated by a rich cartel.”
He said that though the business might have provided menial jobs for few youths, it had not in any manner addressed poverty.
Presently, the landscape is altered with an artificial river encroaching a major access road and threatening public safety,” he said.
Also speaking, a senior Chief in the community, Chief Gilbert Otamiri commended the NGO for the initiative and promised to collaborate with them.
Gilbert, however, urged the government to tackle unemployment which, he said, was a major promoter of the illegal excavation
Also speaking, The Community Development Chairman (CDC) Mr Agbam Mgbechi thanked the group for the sensitisation and donation of trees.
He called on the government and concerned induviduals to emulate the group by making efforts towards salvaging the area from further environmental damage.
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