Only 69 per cent of Nigerians have access to improved water supply – Minister

About 71 per cent of Nigerians have no access to quality water sanitation, according to the Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu.

Adamu said as part of the Federal Government’s determination to solve the problem, it has now expended N810.9 million on the Ota Regional Water Supply project.

While signing the Memoranda of Understanding on Ota Water Supply Project and Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (PEWASH), Adamu revealed that “only 69 percent of our population has access to improved water supply from all sources.”

He said the FG felt the need to revisit the Ota Regional Water Supply Project 30 years after it was established.

He described PEWASH as a three-stage programme which includes the preparatory phase between 2016 and 2018, the expansion phase between 2019 and 2025 and consolidation stage between 2026 and 2030.

“Recent statistics show that only 69 percent of our population has access to improved water supply from all sources. For piped water, the situation has been on the dramatic decline from 32 percent know 1990 to 7 percent in 2015,” the minister said.

“The case of sanitation is even worse as only 29 percent of the population has access to improved sanitation. Our country did not meet MDG targets for water supply and sanitation that ended in 2015.

“It is against this backdrop that our country takes proactive steps towards implementing projects that will ensure that we meet the SDG-WASH targets.

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“We are executing a MoU for the continuation and completion of the Ota Regional Water Supply project. Execution of this project started in June 2006.

“The FG has so far expended N810.9 million on the project and when completed, it will have the capacity to deliver 15 million litres per day.

“Ogun State is the first state where PEWASH agreement will be signed. Ogun and Kano states were shortlisted as flagship states based on first come first served amongst 22 states that have signed and submitted  PEWASH  protocols,” Adamu added.

The project is being executed in Arobieye, Ado-Odo Ota local government area of Ogun State.