Why Delta benefits from Water, hygiene intervention programmes – Ukah

Patrick Ukah, Secretary to the Delta State Government, on Wednesday, disclosed that efforts by state the government in the water supply, sanitation and hygiene sector have brought the state benefits from various intervention programmes.

He said such intervention programmes included the European Union-Niger Delta Supply Support Programme (EU-NDSP), the United States Agency for International Development Effective Water Supply and Sanitation and Hygiene Programme (E-WASH), and the World Bank Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Programme (SURWASH), amongst others.

Ukah made the disclosure while declaring open the South-South Zonal Review meeting of the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign, held at the Unity Hall of Government House, Asaba, the state capital.

He assured of the state government’s support towards the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign” adding that the government would continue to pay attention to the water supply, sanitation and hygiene sector in the state.

He noted that the state was one of the first to declare a state of emergency on WASH, and followed it up by constituting the state steering committee with membership drawn from ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

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He explained that setting up committee was among the requirements needed for states to key into the national action plan to revamp the WASH sector. Delta fulfilled the requirement, he stressed.

The SSG equally assured that the state would begin the process of revalidating the Open Defecation Free (ODF) roadmap to accelerate its effort in becoming ODF by 2025.

In a keynote address delivered by Suleiman Adamu, the Minister of Water Resources, he lauded the state government for taking the lead to host the first state zonal review meeting.

Adamu who was represented by Chizoba Okpara, the national coordinator, Clean Nigeria Campaign, Use a Toilet, charged the state to intensify its efforts in achieving ODF in the local government areas.