UNICEF Donates N47m for Sokoto Rural Water Programme
The United Nations Children's Fund(UNICEF), Friday said it had provided N47. 3 million to support the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme in Sokoto State.
It also donated vehicle, computers and cameras to the State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency(RUWASSA).
The Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Sokoto Zone, Mr. Mohammed Mohiuddin, made this known while handing over the materials to Governor Aminu Tambuwal at Usman Faruk Secretariat in Sokoto.
He stated that in addition, UNICEF had provided technical assistance to the State Government on procurement, contract management, implementation and monitoring for the provision of water supply and sanitation infrastructure in rural areas.
Mohiuddin said the initiative was aimed at partnering with Government in accelerating access to water and sanitation for all people in the state, as it commenced the mission of achieving sustainable development goals (SDG-6) by 2030.
He posited that the UNICEF Sokoto Field Office had been working with RUWASSA for implementation of Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) model in 122 communities to be certified as "Open Defecation Free (ODF) in Tangaza local government area of the state.
The Chief of Field Office also said UNICEF had supported the state to provide access to safe water in 30 communities of Tangaza local government area through rehabilitation of 44 water facilities.
"UNICEF developed a system for water safety planning, household water treatment and hygiene promotion aimed at improving health outcomes in Tangaza local government area.
"We therefore recommend that Sokoto State government can scale up these model water supply and sanitation interventions to cover other local government areas of the state through state funding," he said.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Agency to continue to support the state government in the areas of maternal and child health, nutrition, polio, basic education, social protection as well as water sanitation and hygiene programmes.
Responding, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, expressed gratitude to UNICEF for the gesture, promising that the vehicle and other materials would be utilised for the purpose it was meant for.