AMID concerns that over 70 million Nigerians lack potable water supply, corporate giants in the country have launched $10 million, (N1.6 billion) bid to provide safe drinking water for communities within the country.According to recent statistics, only 42 per cent of people have access to potable water supply, with water related diseases claiming lives, especially in the rural areas.Specifically, Coca Cola Nigeria Limited, Guinness Nigeria Plc, TY Danjuma Foundation and Water Health International (WHI), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, have announced the strategic partnership to provide sustainable access to safe drinking water in Nigeria and other African countries under the: 'Safe Water for Africa (SWA) scheme'The partnership will work with communities in Africa to drive the expansion of WHI's innovative water service delivery model across the continent. Already about $4.5 million in seed fund has been secured to deliver sustainable safe water access for communities across Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia, and are looking for more partners to meet the target.Minister for Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe who spoke recently at the launch of a private partnership effort between the organisations, commended efforts of the private organisations at tackling water shortage, adding that her ministry is working at organising a roundtable event for private sector organisation to contribute ideas and support the Millennium Development Goals and President Goodluck Jonathan's transformation agenda.She said that with the current 58 per cent water supply coverage of the country, more than 70 million Nigerians lacked potable water supply and the ministry, in conjunction with some development partners, is working to fast-track efforts at improving water quality and sanitation through programmes and projects targeted for that purpose.'There is no doubt that access to improved water supply is a major challenge in Nigeria. With the current situation, it is not likely that the country will meet the water component of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 put at 75 per cent coverage for improved drinking water.' Ochekpe added.The Managing Director of Coca Cola Nigeria Limited, Kelvin Balogun stated that the need to support such a private partnership was borne out of the enormous shortfall in water supply and that this was just one of the ways it wants to give back to the society.He said Coca-Cola, in partnership with Diageo- parent company of Guinness Nigeria Plc (GNL); Water Health International; and other partners came on board to assist in providing clean safe water to most parts of Nigeria and ultimately Africa.He said the strategic programme is meant to bring clean water to 25 communities before the end of the year, create a change in expanding sustainable community model for clean water provision.According to him, the partnership is a private sector-led initiative based on the use of an innovative but self-sustaining model of water provision.
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