WATER MINISTRY COMMEMORATES 2023 WORLD WATER DAY.
The Ministry of Water Resources in collaboration with the Stakeholders in the water sector has commemorated the 2023 World Water Day (WWD) with the theme
” Accelerating Change”.
Speaking at the event today in Abuja to mark the designated date of March 22 of every year which was set aside by the United Nations (UN) for the celebration, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, MCIPM, mni represented by the Director, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Department of Water Planning and Support Services of the Ministry, Mrs. Agnes Aneke stated that “the objective of this global event is to galvanize action towards active response to water crisis and seek out innovative measures to improve access to potable water supply while achieving the targets set out in the sustainable development goal 6 – Water and Sanitation for all by 2030”.
The Permanent Secretary stressed that ‘whoever you are, wherever you are, you have right to water’, emphasizing that the UN recognizes access to water as a human right which entitles everyone without discrimination to sufficient, safe, acceptable and affordable water for personal and domestic uses. This according to the PS includes water for drinking, sanitation, food preparation, personal and household hygiene among others.
According to her ‘Water is the life blood of our world’. From health and nutrition to education and infrastructure, water is vital to every aspect of human survival and well-being and the economic development and prosperity of every nation”.
Walson-Jack used the occasion to enlist some milestones of Buhari Administration in the water sector to include among others:
PEWASH programme to boost collaboration/partnership within the three tiers of Government, Clean Nigeria Campaign to End Open Defecation by 2025, Construction of dams for water supply, Continuous awareness about sanitation and hygiene as well as establishment of early warning system at flood risk areas to reduce exposure to incessant river flooding.
The representatives of the Borehole Drillers Association of Nigeria, UNICEF, Action Against Hunger, and Coca-Cola Nigeria Bottling Company were among those who gave goodwill messages.
High points of the occasion include; Commissioning of a three (3) block of 12 Units toilet facility and renovation of 3 Class room blocks at the Junior Secondary School, Gwarinpa Estate, Abuja, these were all built by Sam Empowerment Organization (SEF). Students were presented with Sanitation Champion Awards to empower them as agents of change within and outside the school having gone through the orientation programme by the organization.
The occasion was witnessed by some Directors of FMWR, representatives of Executive Directors of the Ministry’s Agencies, Development Partners and other eminent personalities.
Kenechukwu Offie, fnipr
Director, Press and Public Relations
22/03/23.
