3 million Nigerians to benfit as USAID initiates water project in 6 states
- USAID has launched a new urban water and sanitation activity in Nigeria
- The initiative will provide water for 500,000 families in six states
- The initiative will also provide reliable supply of clean, piped water, to the benefit of three million Nigerians
The United States government, through the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID), on Wednesday, October 24, launched a new urban water and sanitation activity that will support the efforts of six Nigerian states to improve the health and hygiene of their populations through improved delivery of water and sanitation services.
Under the four-year plan, $60.4 million Effective Water, Sanitation and Hygiene activity (E-WASH), USAID will provide assistance to Abia, Delta, Imo, Niger, Sokoto, and Taraba states to strengthen the governance, financial and technical viability of their state water agencies.
It is also expected to improve the health and hygiene of their populations by improving delivery of water and sanitation services through stronger, better performing state water agencies.
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The six states were competitively selected. The selection criteria included the state’s willingness to reform, existing functionality of infrastructure, and potential for positive impact.
Speaking at the event, USAID Nigerian director, Stephen Haykin said access to a reliable supply of clean water and modern sanitation services is important to quality of community life in Nigeria and globally.
He said: “We are here today because of the commitment by the federal government, and likewise the governments of Abia, Delta, Imo, Niger, Sokoto and Taraba states to improve water and sanitation service delivery.
“This strong commitment was a critical criterion in selecting the states that will participate in E-WASH, and has catalyzed strong collaboration between stakeholder partners, such as the African Development, the World Bank, the French Development Agency and the Islamic Development Bank.
“These institutions are all making significant investments to rehabilitate and expand existing water and sanitation infrastructure across the country to advance reforms. The alignment of these investments with the government, and with each other, is crucial to their successful outcomes and impact.
“Such infrastructure investments are critically important to ensure the extension and maintenance of water and sanitation services to even more Nigerian people, and that expanding private sector opportunity in the WASH sector will sustain these infrastructure investments and improve the long-term health of the sector.”
According to the United Nations, about 57 million people lack access to safe drinking water in Nigeria, and each year, water-borne illnesses kill around one million Nigerian children under the age of life.
Legit.ng gathered that the E-WASH will help six state water boards demonstrate that better performing water boards will raise the quality of services for their customers; facilitate economic sustainability; and increase the chance of more fully serving all customers in their areas, including the most marginalized.
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Meanwhile, the sum of $11 million was recently donated by USAID, towards the commencement of the 2018 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
Isaac Adewole, the minister of health, at a joint press conference in Abuja on Thursday, August 16, said the survey will be conducted by his ministry and the National Population Commission from August 15, to December 15.
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Source: Legit.ng