From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
States and Local Governments across the country have been told to prioritize the issue of potable water supply to avert ailments associated to water borne diseases.
The Deputy Director of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Hajia Rukkaiyat Bako who made the call in Lokoja on Tuesday during a 2- day workshop organised by the ministry for water service providers in North Central zone of the country on Water Safety Plans (WSP) , said
it has become imperative for government at all levels to put the issue of water at the front burner, saying water does not have an alternative.
Bako who noted that the objectives of the workshop was to build the capacity of the water service providers on the concept , processes and technique of water safety planning , the ministry will not relent in its effort to ensure that health of Nigerians are protected against any form of water borne diseases.
“We are not satisfied with the level and quality of water supplied to the people in the country and that is why we are making concerted effort to ensure that various states and local governments improve in their performances especially at the rural areas where appreciable percentage of population of the country dwell” she said.
She pointed out that the participants at the workshop are water agencies in the North Central, assuring that similar workshop will be replicated in all zones of the country to ensure that communities have quality drinking water at all time.
“If you don’t give communities safe and hygienic water to drink, they will go else where to source for water which may be contaminated and in return may constitute health hazard to them.
“We will continue to enlighten communities through the ministry’s numerous programmes on the need for them to treat their water by boiling before they drink it” she advised.
Also speaking , one of the resource person at the workshop, Dr Grace Olusanya , urged government at all levels and individuals to adopt water safety plans which she noted entails a proactive , preventive and comprehensive methodology of ensuring a quality drinking water.
“If government can promote water safety plans and encourage people to adopt then the challenges associated to water handling and usage will be a thing of the past and the health of Nigerians will not be in jeopardy.
“At the end of the workshop we are desirous of raising water safety plans champions and water quality champions who will be able to drive the development and implementation of WSP in the state where they work” the deputy director assured.
