The Cross River State Government, in collaboration with development partners and civil society organisations, has launched a framework to drive interventions aimed at strengthening sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services.
The framework was unveiled during a two-day technical workshop specifically convened to develop a comprehensive plan for the Cross River State Task Group on WASH (STG-WASH), a coordination platform critical to the delivery and continuity of WASH interventions across the state.
The Ministry of Water Resources, with support from the Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) and Self Help Africa (SHA), brought together sector experts and policymakers to design a strategic framework that will focus on “institutional strengthening, resource mobilisation and improved coordination.”
In a remark, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Bassey Mensah, underscored the importance of collaboration in sustaining the gains achieved.
Mensah, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Okon Ita, said “the state government was laying the foundation for a WASH system that would outlive the current administration.”
The Commissioner said, “We are not just looking at the present. Our objective is to yield a comprehensive plan with a long-term sustainability outlay, one that would outlive this current administration and serve the people of Cross River for generations to come.”
Reform Momentum and Policy Backing
This effort comes amid broader policy reforms by the state government aimed at addressing sanitation challenges and improving public health outcomes.
Recently, the Cross River State House of Assembly passed the Open Defecation Prohibition Law, a legislative milestone widely seen as reinforcing the state’s commitment to achieving open defecation-free status and strengthening WASH governance.
Also speaking, the lead resource person of NEWSAN, Mr Williams Ngwakwe, commended Cross River’s proactive approach, describing the state as a pace-setter in WASH coordination nationwide.
Ngwakwe stated, “Cross River currently holds the prestigious laurel as the most organised in the WASH sector in the federation.”
He noted that developing a sustainability plan was critical in the face of dwindling funds and institutional transitions, urging participants to leverage ongoing policy reviews to transform WASH services and establish an enviable model.