Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State has declared a State of Emergency to address the decline in water, sanitation and hygiene services in the state.
Masari who made the declaration at a press conference on Wednesday, November 13, 2019 in Katsina, the state capital, also launched a campaign against open defecation across the state.
He said that from inception of the administration to date, over 3,500 hand pumps were provided to people of the state.
Masari said that his administration also provided over 100 solar hand pumps and constructed over 450 latrines in various communities, marketplaces, primary schools and health care facilities.
According to him, over 3,000 communities have been certified open defecation free in the 26 local government areas participating in Sanitation, Hygiene and Water in Nigeria (SHAWN) programme in the state.
According to him, the state has the largest number of communities certified as open defecation free in Nigeria.
“The successes recorded in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sectors are not enough to categorically said that we have achieved the desired result considering the population growth, the weak and inefficient maintenance mechanism of our water and associated components.
“There is the need for a strategic plan and implementation framework to address the decline in water, sanitation and hygiene service delivery in the state.
“Consequently, I hereby declare State of Emergency in the WASH sector and campaign against Open Defecation in the state,” he said.
The governor directed the state ministry of water resources to establish inter-ministerial steering committee on WASH to be chaired by him.
“The relevant MDAs are to launch sector reform by the adoption of state level action plan, participate in accessing the National WASH funds at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources,” he said.
By Zubairu Idris
