Buhari declares state of emergency on water, sanitation

President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday, in Abuja declared a state
of emergency on Nigeria’s water supply, sanitation and hygiene
sector.

The president said the declaration has become imperative to
reduce the high-prevalence of water-borne diseases in different
parts of the country, which has caused preventable deaths.

Inaugurating the National Action Plan for Revitalization of
Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Sector at State House
Conference Centre, President Buhari directed government at all
levels to redouble efforts and work towards meeting the nation’s
water supply and sanitation needs.

The president described statistics on open defecation, access to
piped water services and sanitation in the country as ”disturbing”,
warning that henceforth, Federal Government support to State
Governments will be based on their commitment to implement the
National WASH Action Plan in their respective States and to end
open defecation by 2025.

”Access to piped water services which was 32% in 1990 has
declined to 7% in 2015; access to improved sanitation has also
decreased from 38% in 1990 to 29% in 2015.

”Our country now ranks No 2 in the global rating on Open
Defecation as about 25% of our population are practicing open
defecation.

”WASH services at the rural areas are unsustainable as 46% of
all water schemes are non-functional, and the share of our spending
on WASH sector has been declining from 0.70% of the GDP in 1990 to
about 0.27% in 2015 which is far below the 0.70% at the West
African regional level,” he said.

The president used the occasion, attended by state governments
and development partners, to reiterate that the provision of
potable water supply, adequate sanitation and hygiene are primarily
the responsibilities of state and local governments.

”However, these are not being given the required attention
judging from the high prevalence of water-borne diseases that are
being reported in different parts of the country.

”We cannot and will not continue to allow these preventable
occurrences to decimate our population,’’ he said.

President Buhari told the gathering that he was aware that
Nigeria did not meet the MDG targets for Water Supply and
Sanitation that ended in 2015.

”The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets (6.1 & 6.2)
for WASH are even more demanding as they require WASH services to
be provided in adequate quantity and quality on premises at
affordable prices.

”This cannot be achieved if we continue with ‘a business as
usual’ approach.

”It is on this premise that I fully endorse the decision taken
at the meeting of the Federal Executive Council in April this year
to declare ‘a State of Emergency on our WASH Sector’.

”I call on all State Governments to complement this effort by
according the sector similar recognition to enable us work together
to achieve the SDG targets for WASH by 2030,’’ he said.

At the federal level, the president pledged that his
administration would continue to place priority on infrastructure
development including those of water supply, sanitation and hygiene
services towards ensuring a better life for Nigerians.

According to him, this is being demonstrated through faithful
implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) –
which is the present administration’s blueprint for infrastructure
and economic development.

”From the inception of this administration, we have demonstrated
serious commitment to the development of the Water Sector by
preserving the Ministry of Water Resources and subsequently
approving the 15-year roadmap developed for the sector.

”The transformation being witnessed in the sector since then is
highly commendable.

”I have no doubt that the on-going initiatives including the
implementation of the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply,
Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) in the Ministry will take the water
sector to improved performance and supply, thereby meeting the
national aspirations as well as the SDGs,” he said.