The Institutional Policy Development officer in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Abuja, on Sustainable Water and Rural Development, SAWASH, Mr Abdulyekeen Olutade has disclosed that Kwara State, would benefit from the $60 Million which is a grant from the World Bank through the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation.
The grant is a form of technical support for the State Ministry of Water Resources and other WASH agencies in the state.
Olutade who stated this while briefing participants at the conference room of the state Ministry of Water Resources said the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari declared a state of emergency in the WASH sector in 2018 to revitalise it for being in comatose for decades.
He stressed that the state and local governments need to put in place certain basic things in order to be able to properly key into the programme.
Olutade emphasized further that the SURWASH programme is supported by the World Bank with seven states as pioneer states that have met eligibility and readiness criteria for participation in the programme.
The states are Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina and Plateau, noting that nine other states and the FCT are in the second tier and have also met the eligibility criteria to access technical assistance as well.
The nine other states are Abia, Anambra, Bauchi, Edo, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, Oyo, Taraba, and the FCT, Abuja.
He explained that the programme is to strengthen and expand access to WASH services in Nigeria while simultaneously improving their effective management and sustainability.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Water Resources, Usman Lade expressed the commitment of the state government to partner with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Abuja, on Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Programme (SURWASH).
According to him, Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene is like a sister programme to Partnership for Expansion of Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH).
The Commissioner added that it will help to improve the living standard of the people.
“His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, is always interested in programmes like this that will benefit our people,” he said.
Lade pledged the state government’s readiness to harness the available resources to key into the programme for the betterment of the people in the state.
In her contribution, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Christiana Asonibare thanked the representative of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources for the robust deliberations and opportunity given to the state.
She pledged the staff support for the timely provision of the necessary requirements and success of the programme in the state.
Also speaking, the General Manager of the State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Ilorin, Mr. Olorunfemi Oladipo said that the programme was very timely, especially at this crucial period that the state government is investing heavily in the WASH sector.
Oyenike Oyeniyi
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