Muhammad Garba
A United State of America International Development partners (USAID) has spent over $3.5 million for provision of access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities to over 76,000 residents accross 57 rural communities in Kano and Jigawa state.
The Chief of party, Mr Simeon Nyiakaa revealed this while speaking during a handing over ceremony of the project to the beneficiaries’ communities in Dutse, capital Jigawa state.
He said the 3 years Water Improvement and Sanitation Enhancement (WISE) was 100percent funded by USAID and executed in collaboration with Jigawa and Kano state government.
He explained that a total 98 improved water facilities included 62 hand pump borehole and 36 motorize Solar powered borehole were constructed including 51 at school and health facilities across the 57 beneficiaries Communities.
“The facilities has now provide access to clean drinking water to over 76,000 rural communities’ resident as well as hygiene facilities and mechanism for personal and environmental hygiene.
“We also built the capacity of the communities on how to jointly maintain the facilities and promote hygienic culture, this included, Training of 102 artisan for construction of pit latrine , 62 people trained on mechanical maintenance of the water facilities, mentored the communities on resources mobilization for enhancing their social and economic life,” he stated
He also commend Kano and Jigawa state government for providing enabling environment for executing the project which infected to thousands of people life and planted a seeds of hope for better future.
Speaking at the occasion the Jigawa state governor Malam Umar Namadi who was represented by the state Commissioner of water resources’, Hon. Garba Hanun Giwa thanks the USAID for their kind intervention which complement the government effort in providing access to portable drinking water to all people of the state.
“The project has also supported Jigawa state in attaining the stage of being “Free Open Defecation” state, and we assumed you that we will do everything possible to sustain the project and expand it to ensure healthy society” The commissioner stated
However, representatives of Women groups, Civil Societies, Traditional Rulers from the beneficiary Communities has testified the positive impact of the project on their Public health social and economic life and vowed to sustain and promote it for future generation.
