*WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE ARE ESSENTIAL PILLARS FOR COMMUNITY WELL-BEING AND DEVELOPMENT*
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources,Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, OON, mni, has asserted that Water, Sanitation and hygiene are integral pillars of any community well-being and development, while the bringing together of Professionals, experts and stakeholders from across the globe will ensure a robust discussion of the challenges of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Subsector in Nigeria.
Mrs Didi- Walson Jack made this assertion at the 4th Lagos International Water Conference (LIWAC) with the theme: " *Accelerating Sanitation and Hygiene for all in Lagos Mega City through Regulation and Innovation* ", held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to the Permanent Secretary the theme of the conference is apt as it encapsulates the crucial elements needed to achieve sustainable and inclusive water management in the City and also aligns with the National aspiration of achieving universal access to sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene ( WASH) for all in tandem with SDG Goal 6.She further disclosed that the Conference will among other things, address the concern of the Federal Government about the low commitment and non- prioritization of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) issues by sub- national Governments and also align with the Ministry's Integrated Water Resources Management Agency's regulatory role and provisions in the Water Resources Bill.
She remarked that the Conference provides the platform for policy makers and stakeholders to engage in meaningful conversation and develop innovative solutions to pave way for a more sustainable future for the Water Sanitation and Hygiene programmes in mega cities like Lagos through the harnessing and collective expertise and experiences of stakeholders.
The Permanent Secretary highlighted some of the Ministry's intervention programmes such as Partnership for Expanded WASH ( PEWASH) Programme; the Wash National Routine Outcome Mapping ( WASHNORM); the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign; the Sustainable Urban and Rural WASH ( SURWASH) Project and the recent SchoolWASH, HealthWASH and YouthWASH initiatives as demonstrations of the strong political will of the Federal Government in reversing the narrative on the country's poor WASH indices.
While Commending the Lagos State Government for its notable achievements in infrastructural development and policy formulation as regards the Water Sector, the Permanent Secretary noted that there is still more work to be done particularly in ensuring that every individual in the city have access to safe water and adequate sanitation facilities. She reiterated that the WASHNORM Report of 2021 revealed that access to essential Water, Sanitation and Hygiene services in Nigeria was estimated at 67%, 46% and 17% respectively.
Eminent personalities present at the event include the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Kadri Hamzat; the Permanent Secretaries Office of Drainage & Water Resources and Office of Environmental Services, Lagos State Ministry of the Environment & Water Resources; the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission, Mrs. Funke Adepoju; Representatives of UNICEF, WATERAID, African Development Bank and many others.
