WaterAid to improve access to water for 150,000 Nigerians in 2012

WaterAid International, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has pledged to improve access to water for more than 150,000 Nigerians in 2012.Mr Timeyin Uwejamo-mere, the NGO's Country Representative, disclosed this in Abuja while speaking with newsmen.He said the NGO would achieve this feat through the construction of small town water schemes in some states.'WWe have awarded contracts for the construction of small town water schemes in 16 small towns in Jigawa and Enugu states.'It is envisaged that 150,000 users will have access to water in these areas through the water schemes.''Uwejamomere also disclosed that 31, 500 `poor and marginalised' people in Plateau and Bauchi states would benefit from rural water projects established by the NGO in the two states.On sanitation, the country representative said that the innovative Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach would deliver more results in the new year.CLTS which had been adopted by both government and non-governmental organisations is aimed at discouraging open defeca-tion and cultivating good hygiene and sanitation practices in rural communi-ties.CLTS is a major approach adopted by WaterAid to achieve sanitation targets in Nigeria.'More than 181,950 beneficiaries are expected to benefit from CLTS in WaterAid focal local government areas by 2012,'' he said.Uwejamomere said the organisation was collabo-rating with Zamfara State Government for the adoption, replication and scaling up of Rope Pump Technology in the state.He appealed to the the three tiers of government to invest more on water and sanitation projects.He also stressed the need for the three tiers of government to create awareness on the need for the people to imbibe good sanitation practices.
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