The Federal Government has selected Ogun and Kano as pilot states for its Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme aimed at eradicating existing uncoordinated efforts in the sector in various states.
The Leader and Programme Coordinator, Engr. Suulola Olusola, disclosed this in Abeokuta, during a field assessment tour of the project in Ikenne, Imeko/Afon and Ipokia Local Government Areas of Ogun State.
Olusola said, “All the 36 States of the federation responded to the request for the proposal and analysis which was carried out by the team at the Federal level. Ogun and Kano States came top due to the quality of their submissions.’’
He commended the Ogun State government for attaining the fourth stage, which was matching the project proposal developed for resources, explaining that the entry submitted was conceivable and well-structured as the states have qualified and experienced personnel in place to keep records.
The Programme Coordinator who expressed satisfaction on the 26 projects inspected across the state, revealed that the PEWASH program was a 15-year programme in three phases.
“The first phase which is the preparation period will run from the year 2016 to 2018 for sustained advocacy, mobilization and project take off, while the second phase will span 2019 to 2025 with substantial increase in project delivery, and phase three will last from 2026 to 2030 which will consolidate programme implementation,’’ he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, the agency of government coordinating the programme for the State, Mr. Gbele Olugbebi, expressed the state’s readiness to launch and sustain the initiative, adding that the present administration had a rural electrification plan that would capture the rural settlements programme under the Nigeria Energy Support Programme (NESP) by providing access to potable water and increase irrigation for rural dwellers.
The PEWASH initiative was launched in November 2016 to address the challenges of water supply and sanitation in order to create a platform for achieving the set Sustainable Development Goals.
