The Borno State government has earmarked #8.7bilion to enhance hygiene and sanitation as United Nations Children Education Funds(UNICEF) pledged to make concerted efforts to ensure that more people have access to Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the state.

The General Manager Borno State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Dr. Musa Ali said the government have proposed to construct additional six dams to alleviate the challenges caused by the 13 year old Boko Haram insurgency.

“The state government has given us approval for over #8 billion to be spent from now until the end of 2023 to provide WASH facilities and services, this will comprise 6 mini water works and we are going to construct 10 earth standard dams for irrigation and water supply,” Dr. Ali Musa explained.

He charged development partners and International Non-goverental Organisations(INGOs) sensitizing the citizens to stop open defecation to save lives.

UNICEF WASH Manager Maiduguri Office, Mamita Bora Thakkar called on humanitarian actors to ensure that free of open defections, “Here in Borno state, We are proving technical support, we are proving capacity buildings, we are supporting the government to strengthen the system, we will support the government to ensure all LGAs are open defecation free and this is what we are going to do. 

“We need to do more, UNICEF will develop method to ensure we have open defecation free in the LGAs.We need to shift the lens on sanitation, Sanitation is a social good but sanitation is an economic good too. We need to focus on the sanitation economy of the country. The time is now. The time is here.” Mamita said.

Earlier, speaking on the commemoration of “International Toilet Day” with the theme Make invisible; Visible,” the General Manager, of Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA), Abubakar Suleiman said only 60 per cent of people in Borno have access to sanitation, saying the government have improved the (WASH) compared to last one year ago.

He thanked the collaborating partners for their contributions and supports while acknowledging the efforts and support of Governor Zulum in promoting Environmental sanitation.

He further said the the state government have embarked provision of adequate facilities and amenities to BOSEPA in the management and control of Environmental sanitation across the 27 LGAs of the state.

He added that the agency has been put in the right track with the support from development and humanitarian partners in the state where WASH and Environmental sanitation programmes have been implemented towards meeting the 2030 MDGs target

Dignitries at event include the Director General of State Emergency Management Agency, Ya’ bawa Kolo, Humanitarian WASH Coordinator, John Paul, WHO Dr Fatimah Iman and other