The Federal Government has implemented a project, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), that will improve access to safe drinking water for approximately one million individuals across Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states.
During a meeting of the Directorate General for International Cooperation (DGIS) – Acceleration to Sanitation and Water for All (ASWA) II programme and local plan in Home yesterday, UNICEF’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Specialist, Mr Jonathan Ekhato, revealed the accomplishment.
Ekhato explained that the initiative, carried out in collaboration with UNICEF and the Government of the Netherlands, yielded positive outcomes in six local government areas of the aforementioned states.
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He identified the communities of Guyuk and Jada in Adamawa; Magumeri and Big in Borno; and Gaidam and Fune in Yobe as the beneficiaries. Moreover, he noted that approximately 880,000 individuals have ceased open defecation practices and embraced the use of safe and hygienic toilet facilities in these communities.
Furthermore, Ekhato announced that Biu, Guyuk, and Jada have been officially declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) by the National Task Group (NTGS).
He underscored the significance of this intervention in curbing the outbreak of waterborne diseases, highlighting the construction of 500 new water points and the rehabilitation of 1,000 others. Additionally, he mentioned that 54 schools and 38 healthcare facilities have gained access to basic Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services.
Dr Nicholas Dumebi, the Director of Water Resources at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, stressed the importance of developing a sustainability plan to consolidate the progress achieved.
“The intervention has reduced the outbreak of waterborne diseases, through the construction of 500 new water points and rehabilitated 1,000 others while 54 schools and 38 healthcare facilities accessed basic WASH services,” he said.
