FG to Construct 144 Boreholes in 5 States

As part of the Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme for 2022/2023, the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation will commence the construction of 144 boreholes in five states of Kaduna, Katsina, Delta, Gombe and Nasarawa.

The protocol signed with the five state governments aims to bridge gaps in water supply and sanitation in rural communities,

The Director, Water Supply and Support Services, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Dr Nicholas Madu, revealed this on Thursday during the 2022/2023 PEWASH Project Implementation Take-Off meeting in Abuja.

PEWASH is a 15 years programme targeted at achieving goal 6 of the SDGs by 2030.

According to the partnership, the Federal Government is expected to double the number of projects constructed within the year in the respective states.

Dr. Madu warned that the federal government would not tolerate any sharp practices and shoddy project saying the programme presents an opportunity to improve access to potable water supply for rural communities.

According to him, the take-off meeting is to familiarise with the contractors and to draw attention to the execution of the contracts to ensure that they are in compliance to required standards.

“It is important because we want to be sure of the quality of the services we are delivering for Nigerian people. So we are going to hold the contractors strictly accountable for that.

“And in certifying their jobs, we will not accept anything short of the standards that we have set in our documents, so we must emphasise that and we insist on that”.

Madu, however, pledged the government’s commitment to fulfill its obligations by providing the necessary resources, adding that qualitative and timely project delivery is crucial.

PEWASH National Coordinator, Mrs Jummai Wakaso, said the programme was designed for the improvement of rural water supply and sanitation, towards the achievement of SDG six.

This, Wakaso said, will increase access to water supply and sanitation, to address increase in the number of people dying from avoidable water and sanitation related diseases.

“The PEWASH programme, which commenced implementation with two states with Kano and Ogun in 2016, considers the enthusiasm with which the programme was accepted by stakeholders.

“This is a demonstration of the ministry’s determination to achieve the objective for which the programme was established”.