UNICEF targets 150,000 Adamawa residents in WASH initiative

On Mar 14, 2025

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced that 150,000 residents will benefit from the Accelerated Sanitation and Water for All (ASWA) project in two local government areas in Adamawa.

Dr Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of Bauchi UNICEF Field Office, disclosed this at the inauguration of the four-year ASWA project on Thursday.

She stated that the programme would be implemented in Ganye and Shelleng local government areas.

According to her, Adamawa is one of the focal states under the Bauchi field office set to benefit from the project, which is funded by the government of the Netherlands.

“We are targeting vulnerable communities that practise open defecation and lack proper sanitation, water, healthcare facilities, and schools.

“In such communities, adolescent girls cannot even attend school due to challenges related to menstrual hygiene,” she said.

She explained that the initiative would provide a small-scale intervention, while the larger investment would come from the state government and local council chairmen.

“UNICEF is demonstrating the model, while the government is expected to scale it up in other local governments as part of their commitment,” she said.

Adamawa ASWA Desk Officer, Aisha Yusuf, said the project has positively impacted the lives of vulnerable people in Guyuk and Jada local government areas.

She revealed the programme’s achievements, which include eliminating open defecation, drilling solar-powered boreholes, renovating schools, and improving sanitation facilities in healthcare centres.

“The projects will now be replicated in Ganye and Shelleng local government areas under the ASWA initiative,” she added.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Audi Ayuba, thanked UNICEF for its intervention in the sector, which aligns with the eight-point agenda of Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri.

He assured UNICEF that the state government would expand the initiative to other local government areas.

NAN/Wumi