By Governor Aminu Bello Masari
As we are all aware, His Excellency, the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari (GCON) had in November, 2018 declared the state of emergency in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Sector in Nigeria.
The declaration is in line with the report of Nigerian WASH Poverty Diagnostic (2017) which indicates that 61% of Nigerians have access to improved water, out of which only 31% have access to improved water in their premises.
The report further indicates that access to piped water in urban premises declined from 32% in 1990 to 7% in 2015. During the declaration, the President requested State Governments to domesticate the declaration of Emergency in WASH Sector in their respective States.
Invited Guests, Members of the Press, Ladies and Gentlemen, let me use this opportunity to x-ray the progress made by the present administration in WASH Sector from inception to date. Water supply is among the five key areas of the Restoration Agenda of the present administration. Accordingly, series of measures were taken on the short, medium and long term to address the WASH service delivery in the State.
Under the Short-Term Plan, the State Government had replaced high lift pumps at Ajiwa Water Works which assist greatly in pumping of treated water from Ajiwa to Katsina metropolis. Also, repairs and replacement of pumps had been effected in Funtua, Malumfashi Water Works. Equally, replacement of submersible pumps and generating set at Daura Water Works.
During this period Sabke Water Works was commissioned, Semi Urban Water Supply at Dutsi and Mashi were also commissioned all in our efforts to increase access to safe drinking water.
Under the Medium and Lon-Term Plan, the Government has gone far in the complete rehabilitation and expansion of water works across the State.
Ajiwa Water Works is undergoing rehabilitation with additional pump house to augment the existing one.
Also, Malumfashi Water Works has been redesigned with the Dam being expanded and a new Treatment Plant is to be constructed to increase access of portable water to Malumfashi and Kankara Local Government Areas.
As part of the effort of the Government to ensure uninterrupted water supply, diesel is provided to all the Water Works and some selected Semi-Urban Schemes in the State.
The State Government invested significantly through an effective partnership with development partners (UNICEF/DFID). From inception of this Government to date, over 3,500 hand pump boreholes, 100 Solar Motorized and over 450 Latrines were constructed in Communities, Primary Schools, Healthcare facilities and Market places across the Rural Communities in the State.
In the area of Sanitation and Hygiene, the State Government has done very well as a result of which over three thousand (3,000) communities across the 26 SHAWN Local Government Areas of the State were declared Open Defecation Free (ODF). In addition, Katsina State has the largest number of Communities certified as open defecation free Communities in Nigeria. Also, the recently published World Bank report on the NORM survey indicates that Katsina State has the highest percentage of safely managed sanitation in Nigeria.
It is as a result of the above that I wish to acknowledge the contribution of our development partners especially UNICEF for their support to our institutions at the State and Local Government levels through capacity building and logistics support.
Also Zobe Regional Water Supply Scheme Phase one is at about 90% completion stage. It is envisaged that with the completion of the project around December, 2019, access to water supply in Katsina and environs will be enhanced significantly.
The Phase 1B of the project, when completed will supply treated water from Dutsinma top-hills through Karofi, Kafin Soli, Kankia and Charanchi. Already the Government has commenced discussion with relevant stakeholders on funding the completion of the project.
Invited Guests, Gentlemen of the Press, Ladies and Gentlemen, the above highlighted modest achievements recorded in the WASH Sector in the State are not enough to categorically state that we achieved the desired result. Considering the population growth, the weak and inefficient maintenance mechanism of our Water Works and associated components, there is the need for a strategic plan and an implementation framework to address the declined water sanitation and hygiene service delivery in the State.
Consequently, I hereby DECLARE state of emergency in the WASH Sector and Campaign Against Open Defecation in the State, and accordingly direct as follows:
Ministry of Water Resources to propose/establish Inter-Ministerial Steering Committees on WASH, to be chaired by myself.
The relevant MDAs to:
Launch sector reform via the adoption of State level action plan (ODF roadmap, WASH State Investment Plan);
Participate in accessing the National WASH fund at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
Thank you and God Bless.
SPEECH PRESENTED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF KATSINA STATE RT. HON. AMINU BELLO MASARI, ON THE DECLARATION OF STATE OF EMERGENCY IN WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE SECTOR IN KATSINA STATE HELD ON WEDNESDAY 13TH NOVEMBER, 2019 AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE, KATSINA
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