State governors, religious leaders, traditional leaders, and opinion leaders have been urged by the federal government, acting through the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, to actively participate in the national campaign against open defecation.
Prof. Joseph Utsev, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, made the call yesterday in Abuja while Dauda Lawal, the Governor of Zamfara State, and his delegation were paying the minister a courtesy call.
The governor was on a working visit to the ministry with Abubakar Nakwada, the secretary to the Zamfara State government, and a few members of his entourage.
For the sake of the people of Zamfara and the country as a whole, the minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to working with the Zamfara State government to execute Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs.
He insisted that the state will retain all of the Bakolori Dam’s components for the benefit of the populace and added that a group of WASH specialists would come to the state to perform a thorough review of the water situation to guarantee access to better sanitation and clean water.
He underlined that the federal government is prepared to assist states with particular water requirements, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s program for “Renewed Hope.”
The minister urged the governor to facilitate the timely release of counterpart contributions, acknowledging the importance of water and sanitation in generating employment, hygienic services, and investment opportunities. This will allow the Federal Government to fulfill its obligations for the benefit of the people of Zamfara State.
Prof. Utsev also urged the governor to work with the private sector to build additional restrooms, especially in public areas like parks, marketplaces, schools, and places of worship, to bolster the nation’s ongoing effort to end open defecation.
In addition to congratulating the minister on his appointment, Governor Dauda Lawal asked the federal government to step in and help Zamfara State with its water problems.
He promised that his government would make equal contributions to the state’s numerous ongoing Federal Government initiatives and guaranteed that they would be carried out successfully for the benefit of the populace.
He also emphasised how crucial it is to make use of every Bakolori dam component in order to improve all year-round irrigated agricultural in the state.
Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Shinkafi, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, as well as a few ministry directors were also present during the meeting.