FG Gives Conditions to Assist States in Water Projects 

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja 

The Minister of Water Resources, Mr. Suleiman Adamu has disclosed that his office would no longer assist any state water project unless state governments comply with the new Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) regulations. 

The minister, who spoke in an interactive session with water correspondents in Abuja, further explained that state governments’ weak work ethics were mostly to blame for the country’s poor water delivery, adding that his office’s stern measures were not meant to penalise states but rather to summon them to account. 

Speaking on the WASH campaign, the minister said only 83 local government areas are now Open Defecation Free (ODF), in Nigeria, even though all the states have flagged off the Clean Nigeria Campaign. 

The minister while expressing his disappointment pointed out that the Ministry of Water resources had kick started projects worth billions of naira with state governments, only for these numerous programmes to be abandoned. 

He said, “now we said no it was to be a partnership and we have what we call the PEWASH protocol, under which a lot of conditions have to be met and if these conditions are not not met the Federal government will not be dishing out money anyhow any longer.” 

The minister added that his ministry had completed 370 public sanitary facilities in addition to 185 solar-powered water projects throughout the states of the Federation. 

The minister however hinted that Jigawa might become the first state in the nation to ban open defecation. 

He further noted that out of the 27 local government Areas in the state, 26 local government areas are now open defecation free