Water And Sanitation Technical Committee Inaugurated In Delta

As part of strategies to strengthen the water sector policies in order to enhance sustainable and affordable water supply in the state, the Delta State Commissioner for Water Resources Development, Sir Fidelis Tilije, has inaugurated the reconstituted Delta State Water and Sanitation Technical Committee.

Sir Tilije, who inaugurated the committee in Asaba, enjoined members of the committee which has the Permanent Secretary of his ministry as chairman, to be above board and contribute meaningfully on their assignments.

The Commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources Development, Dr (Mrs) Felicia Adun said that the technical committee largely consists of senior staff from the stakeholder ministries was an offshoot of the already existing water sector coordination that would coordinate the water and sanitation sector including the USAID activities in the state.

Sir Tilije recalled that the State Urban Water Board in August, 2018 held a conference on factors militating against the delivery of sustainable and affordable water supply, adding that there was need to develop synergy with all stakeholders who cut across various line Ministries in the state on key project initiative.

While disclosing that Delta State was one of the beneficiary’s states for the United States Agency for international Development (USAID) programme which had expedient for the state to set up water and sanitation technical committee, Sir Tilije said that the committee would meet quarterly and submit its reports to the State Water Sector Coordination/Steering Committee.

He said that the State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa had on June 1, 2017 inaugurated the Delta State Water and Sanitation Coordination committee in tandem with the water and sanitation policy that was being signed into law with the Commissioner for Water Resources Development, Sir Fidelis Tilije to chair the committee.

According to Sir Tilije, State Commissioners for Environment, Health, Commerce and Industry, as well as the General Managers of the State Urban Water Board, Small Town Water and Sanitation Agency (STOWASA) and the Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) , representatives of water consumer Association and DESOPADEC while the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources Development would serve as the Secretary of the committee.

In their separate remarks, the Director of Irrigation, Flood Control, Engr. Emmanuel Odogun, the Director of Sanitation, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Lucky Ada, the Executive Director of Development Initiative, a non-governmental organization, Faith Nwadishi and the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics in Ministry of Water Resources Development, Mrs Oghenekevwe Agas who is the Secretary of the technical committee thanked the Commissioner for finding them worthy to serve in the committee said that the technical committee was part of water policy that would drive the water sector in the state.

They pledged to justify their recognition to be members of the committee, saying that one of the ways of achieving long lasting reforms in the water sector was to constitute steering and technical committees.

Speaking in an interview, Faith Nwadishi stated that water, sanitation and hygiene issues were imperative, and lauded the state government for the initiative.