The European Union Monitoring Group on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene says it is set to spend over 53 million Euro in three pilot states of Plateau, Adamawa and Ekiti States.
The Plateau State Commissioner of Water Resources and Energy, Malam Idi Ibrahim Waziri, made this known.
Waziri, however, appealed to the coordinating committee for Plateau State to remain focused and committed.
While inauguration the committee on Friday in Jos, Waziri said the committee’s commitment to the responsibility of supervising the ongoing water, sanitation and hygiene sector reform would ensure that the programme records success.
He emphasized on the need for them to be focused on improving water governance policies, laws and institutional framework to access service delivery in these states.
He also tasked the general public on the need to keep their environment clean, maintain personal hygiene and report any uncommon health challenges to the nearest medical centre as the Plateau State Government has been put in place an inter-ministerial committee and competent medical personnel for quick response in the event of any emergency.
Waziri hinted that the committee has the responsibility for the development and progress of the overall water and sanitation sector, which includes policy formulation.
The commissioner stressed further that the project was designed for small towns and rural areas where a good number of disadvantaged people live.
He said the effort would be facilitated through “our technical assistance component with six consultants from early month”.
Waziri noted that government will work closely with other related programmes and projects by EU and other donors in the state to report progress to the authority.
The Team leader WSSSSRP 111, Lesley Blinker, said: “Plateau State has abundance of precious water, which is pivotal for human existence.
“So, therefore, we have to manage this precious resources with care from all perspectives to benefit our teaming populace.”
Blinker lamented that the management, development and utilization of these water resources, coupled with the sanitation situation, have been very poor and requires a great deal of improvement in the state also the country.
Blinker added that the aim of this programme is to promote state and local governance reforms by supporting the efforts of local and state governments to achieve the millennium development goals.