The Federal Government and some
implementing states have committed to a matching fund of $5million as
counterpart contribution to the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in
Nigeria (RUSHPIN), reports NaijaAgroNet.
Director, Press and Public Relations
Unit, Margaret E. Umoh, in a press statement available to NaijaAgroNet, said that Nigeria secured the grant for the project
through the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS), which is a coalition of
relevant government ministries, departments and agencies, development partners
and civil society organisations working in the sanitation sub-sector.
The Honourable Minister of Water
Resources, Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu, was quoted as saying this during the
meeting with State Governors on the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in
Nigeria (RUSHPIN) in Abuja.
“As we are all aware, access to
improved sanitation in Nigeria has declined over time. As a result, there are
over 70 million people without access to improve sanitation and more than 45
million
people practicing open defecation in Nigeria,” he said.
Recognizing the public health risk,
he pointed out that the Federal Government called on states and development
partners to invest in the water, sanitation and hygiene sub-sector as Federal
Government cannot fund it all alone.
Adamu said further that the RUSHPIN
project which is going on in 6 Local Government Areas of Benue and Cross River
States is a good example of government’s efforts in mobilizing resources to the
sector in view of the limited resources available.
The Minister added that the Federal
Government through the instrument of Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation
and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme and the roadmap of ending open defecation by
2025 in the country, has demonstrated commitment in addressing the issues of water,
sanitation and hygiene in Nigeria.
Adamu thanked the Executive Director
of Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), Dr. Chris
Williams for the support given to Nigeria through the Global Sanitation Fund
grant. While thanking Ondo and Sokoto States for their interest in the RUSHPIN
project, he called on other states to key into the project as investing in
water, sanitation and hygiene would protect the health of the people.
Present at the meeting were the
governors of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and
Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
Responding, the Executive Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom said that in conjunction with the Federal Government, Benue State has paid 5million into the RUSHPIN Project in the state. While his counterpart from Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal said that the state counterpart fund will be captured in the 2018 budget proposal. The Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said that the issue of open defecation in the state is a big challenge, and that they are ready to partner with the Federal Government and other development partners in addressing the issue.
... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology
