ENUGU – Enugu State Government on Monday said it would review the state’s water and sanitation laws with a view to reposition the sector.
The Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Michael Nwachukwu, said this in Enugu on the occasion of the 2015 World Water Day.
Nwachukwu said that for the provision of water in urban areas of the state, demographic and topographic surveys of the areas have been concluded.
He said government was determined to increase water supply from the present 30 per cent to above 50 per cent by the end of 2015.
“As we promote increased access to water in which 60 litres and 120 litres are acceptable in the rural and urban areas respectively, we are poised to turn things around for good in the sector.
“World Water day is set aside to look into how to get water for development without impinging on available water resources,’’ he said.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
In his remarks, the Chief Field Officer, UNICEF, Mr Charles Nzuki, said that UNICEF was committed to providing safe water and improved sanitation for both the urban and rural dwellers of the state.
He noted that child mortality could be linked to poor water and sanitation with the rural areas being most vulnerable.
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Nzuki stressed the need for the reduction of wastages in water as UNICEF has provided no fewer than 2.5 million people with water in the country.
Also contributing, the Managing Director of Enugu State Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (ENRUWASSA), Mr Mike Oguama, said that with the assistance of donor agencies in the provision of water, 90 deep motorized boreholes were constructed, 85 rehabilitated and 203 hand-pumps provided.
In his goodwill message, the Programme Support Manager, Water-Aid Enugu, Mr Jude Emesim, said that provision of potable water is fundamental to eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development.
He said that Water-Aid was seeking to influence the health sector to lead on the integration of WASH in child health programmes and policies.
The Coordinator, Community Health Initiative, (CHI-Nigeria), Mrs Janet Ngene, launched the “Healthy Start Campaign,’ a four year advocacy programme that would focus on improving the health and nutrition of new born babies and children.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of the excellent support award to Gov. Sullivan Chime, UNICEF, Water-Aid, Japan International Cooperative agency (JICA), Okpo community in Igboeze-North LGA and two contractors for their contributions in ensuring the sustenance of good water and sanitation. (NAN)
