Stakeholders from relevant sectors gathered in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital on Monday to revise the draft of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Policy Development, a document which will encourage investment from development partners both locally and internationally.
The WASH Policy Development is one of the major requirements to get funding and partnership towards acquiring safe water, sanitation, hygiene, open defecation free and others, insideoyo.com reports.
While speaking at the ongoing Town-hall meeting on WASH Policy Development, the Chairman of the Oyo State Rural Water Supply Agency (OYORUWASSA), Engineer Najeem Omirinde said the worrisome state of the WASH sector has positioned Oyo state as one of the states prevalent to Open Defecation.
Omirinde who declared the town hall meeting open added that most rural and semi-urban communities were in great need of safe water for drinking and sanitary conditions were poor.
He said the document will enable funding and partnership from World Bank and other NGOs as far as water, sanitation and hygiene are concerned.
While thanking Water Aid Nigeria (WANG) and Heineken Africa Foundation (HAF), for the wonderful opportunity, he commended Governor Seyi Makinde for the privilege given to the people of the state to benefit from this programme.
“The worrisome state of the WASH sector has positioned Oyo State as one of the States in the Federation prevalent to Open De ation. At present, Oyo State is still noted as an Open Defecation prone State with no Local Government achieving an Open Defecation Free (ODF) Status.
“Also, it should be mentioned that most Rural and Semi-Urban Communities are in great need of safe water for drinking and sanitary conditions are poor.
“On behalf of His Excellency, The Executive Governor of Oyo State Engr. Seyi Makinde, I thank Water Aid Nigeria (WANG) and Heineken Africa Foundation (HAF) for the wonderful opportunity and privilege given to Oyo State people to benefit from this programme.” he said.
A consultant to Water Aid and a lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Dr Olufemi Aluko, said the Oyo state draft WASH policy needs extensive revision adding that the sustainable goals indicators, system approach and others need to be captured to enable the state to have a through and robust implementation.
Aluko added that the policy will serve as marketing tools and allow the state to have a WASH law which is also important for the implementation of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Support and Services.
He said several states have benefited from funding due to the availability of the WASH policy and other documents adding that operational plan will be developed alongside the policy.
He said the system approach was adopted to allow the document to be seen as the state document that’s why career officers, academia and other relevant professionals were invited for the workshop.
A stakeholder in WASH, Prof Gabriel Oladapo Adeyemi, a Professor of Environmental and Engineering Geology at the University of Ibadan, appreciated the state government for the establishment of RUWASSA and presence of sanitary officers across the state.
He added that more can still be done in the area of water supply and sanitation while expressing hope that after the workshop things will change for good as far as water, sanitation and hygiene are concerned.
Also speaking, Mr Marcus Williams, the Country Lead, Living World Mission who represented Water Aid Nigeria, said they decided to support the state government towards having the WASH policy having realised that other partners that should support the state didn’t do because of the absence of the policy.
Williams added that they contacted Water Aid on the need to have the policy and Water Aid graciously agreed to fund the entire process.
He commended the Oyo RUWASSA for their efforts adding that the policy will enable developmental partners to come to the state.
