An NGO, Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), has urged Plateau Government to prioritise access to clean water and promote sanitation among residents of the state.
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Dr Vings Lomak, the State Coordinator of the organisation, made the call at a news conference on Monday in Jos, to mark the 2020 World Water Day
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2020 World Water Day has the theme: “Water and Climate Change”.
According to Lomak, the theme of this year’s world water day brings to the fore the need for governments at all levels to make deliberate efforts at ensuring that potable water is provided to the people.
He decried that residents of the state, particularly those in the rural areas, encountered difficulties in accessing clean water, hence the need for government to do the needful.
“The purpose of this event is to amplify the voices of the many people who are living in different communities and find it difficult in accessing clean and basic sanitation.
“This year’s theme for the world water day is a call for stakeholders at all levels, particularly the Plateau Government, to prioritise access to clean water and sanitation for its citizens.
“Government must ensure that the poorest of the poor in the society are not left behind when it comes to addressing the water needs of the people.
“By doing so, it will enhance the livelihood and ensure a sustainable environment in the state,’’ he said.
The coordinator also called on residents of the state to fight climate change through the use of water and embrace circular production system, adding that the act would open vast opportunities for the economy to thrive in many dimensions.
He, however, advised residents of the state to put water to good use and avoid wastages, saying that it was the most precious commodity.
He also called on the people of the state to imbibe the habit of regular hand washing and use of sanitisers as a preventive measure against the dreaded coronavirus that had assumed a global pandemic.
Speaking at a brief event organised by NEWSAN, in collaboration with the Plateau Ministry of Water Resources and Energy, to mark the world water day in the state, Commissioner in charge of the Ministry, Alhaji Sa’ad Bello, said government had put modalities on ground to improve access to clean water in the state.
Bello said the water sector in the state was currently undergoing series of reforms with a view to addressing water deficit in all parts of the state.
He commended the development partners working toward curbing the water challenges in the state and promised that the State Government would continue to collaborate with them in that regard.
“The water sector in Plateau is going through a reform process and the vision of this government is to ensure that water is made available and accessible for the people.
“And this can be seen in the revitalisation of the Shendam and Pankshin water scheme and even the Yakubu Gowon dam and other water points located in Jos.
“So, the state government with the support of our partners is putting huge efforts to address the water needs of the people,’’ he said.