Enugu State Government has said it will review the state’s water and sanitation laws to reposition the sector.
Its Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Michael Nwachukwu, said this in Enugu when marking this year’s World Water Day.
He said for the provision of water in urban areas of the state, demographic and topographic surveys of the areas have been concluded.
The state, he said, was determined to increase water supply from the present 30 per cent to above 50 per cent by the end of the year.
“As we promote increased access to water in which 60 litres and 120 litres are acceptable in the rural and urban areas respectively, we are poised to turn things around for good in the sector.
“World Water day is set aside to look into how to get water for development without impinging on available water resources,’’ he said.
In his remarks, the Chief Field Officer, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Mr. Charles Nzuki, said UNICEF was committed to providing safe water and improved sanitation for both the urban and rural dwellers of the state.
He noted that child mortality could be linked to poor water and sanitation with the rural areas being most vulnerable.
Nzuki stressed the need for the reduction of wastages in water as UNICEF has provided no fewer than 2.5 million people with water in the country.
Enugu State Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (ENRUWASSA), Managing Director, Mr Mike Oguama, said with the assistance of donor agencies in the provision of water, 90 deep motorised boreholes were constructed, 85 rehabilitated and 203 hand-pumps provided.
In his goodwill message, the Programme Support Manager, Water-Aid Enugu, Mr Jude Emesim, said that provision of potable water is fundamental to eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development.
He said Water-Aid was seeking to influence the health sector to lead on the integration of WASH in child health programmes and policies.
The Coordinator, Community Health Initiative, (CHI-Nigeria), Mrs Janet Ngene, launched the “Healthy Start Campaign,’ a four-year advocacy programme that would focus on improving the health and nutrition of new born babies and children.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of the excellent support award to Governor Sullivan Chime, UNICEF, Water-Aid, Japan International Cooperative agency (JICA), Okpo community in Igboeze-North Local Government Area and two contractors for their contributions in ensuring the sustenance of good water and sanitation.
