Katsina Govt, World Bank Earmark N10bn For Water, Sanitation Services

By Zubairu Idris

Katsina State Government, in collaboration with the World Bank, has allocated N10 billion towards enhancing water, sanitation, and hygiene services as part of the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (SURWASH) initiative.

The World Bank supports SURWASH, a project aimed at achieving improved access to water, sanitation, and hygiene, currently implemented in Imo, Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Kaduna, Katsina, and Plateau states.

Mr Aminu Dayyabu, the Programme Coordinator in Katsina, outlined the project’s goal to provide clean, affordable, and sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities to 80 per cent of the state’s urban and rural population by 2027, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Dayyabu emphasised the state’s proactive measures to reach the set targets and mentioned that SURWASH coordinates the project’s implementation, providing technical support to implementing agencies.

They are the State Water Board, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Small Town Water, Hygiene and Sanitation Agency, and the State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA).

The project covers various local government areas in Katsina State, and Dayyabu highlighted ongoing achievements, with verification and disbursements expected in March 2024.

He said Governor Dikko Radda has directed the rehabilitation of 34 small-town water supply schemes, to be executed by the newly established Small Towns Water and Sanitation Agency with technical support from SURWASH.

The focus includes restoring access to areas lacking functional facilities and improving sustainability by transitioning energy sources to solar.

Additionally, RUWASSA plans to rehabilitate 1,300 broken hand pumps, while 1,000 new ones will be drilled in rural communities during 2024 as part of the project. (NAN) www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Deborah Coker/Rabiu Sani-Ali