Gombe Gov’t Urged to Prioritise
BY NAJIB SANI, GOMBE
The Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) has called on the Gombe State government to prioritise Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services in the state.
National Coordinator of NEWSAN Mr Benson Attah made the call during a presentation to the Gombe State WASH stakeholders including the state house of assembly, ministry of water resources and ACRESAL as part of the organisation’s high level advocacy on WASH.
According to him, despite some progress, Gombe State still faces significant WASH challenges, including limited access to basic water supply, contaminated water, and inadequate sanitation and hygiene facilities.
NEWSAN urged tasked the assembly, state government and relevant bodies on actualising commitment to prioritising WASH in their political agenda as well as improve political will, and increase budgetary allocations for WASH.
The organisation also called for the implementation of Open Defecation Free (ODF) roadmap, strengthening of WASH coordination, and support for bills to improve WASH policies.
Additionally, NEWSAN recommended investing in massive enlightenment campaigns, capacity building, and safely managed sanitation to enhance job creation, food production, and a safe environment.
The organisation also suggested establishing a WASH Fund to support the attainment of statewide ODF and global WASH goals.
“By prioritising WASH, the Gombe State government can improve the health, well-being, and survival of its citizens, particularly vulnerable populations like children, women, and people living with disabilities. NEWSAN’s call to action is a crucial step towards achieving sustainable WASH services in Gombe State.”, he noted.
