By Abdullahi Lukman
Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to the successful implementation of the World Bank-supported Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) Programme, emphasizing improved coordination, adequate funding, and stakeholder engagement.
Speaking at the 4th Federal Steering Committee Meeting held in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, praised the committee’s efforts and highlighted the alignment of SURWASH goals with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Minister noted progress under the programme, including enhanced access to clean water, sanitation upgrades, and full WASH facilities in schools and health centres.
In a statement released by Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan, Director, Information and PR, the minister stated that results are expected to improve following the Year 4 Independent Verification Agent (IVA) Report and a second verification cycle that will boost disbursements to states.
Providing updates on the Mid-Term Review and restructuring of the programme, Prof. Utsev revealed that ten new states are being onboarded, increasing participation to 17 states.
He called on state governments to finalize budgets and work plans quickly to avoid delays.
He further urged states to prioritize funding, ramp up communication efforts, and strengthen coordination at both federal and state levels through improved Programme Coordination Units (PCUs).
The National Coordinator, Engr. Abdulhamid Gwaram, described programme performance as strong in institutional capacity and moderate in service delivery, acknowledging initial challenges with the Program-for-Results model but applauding the increasing commitment from states.
The Director of Water Supply, Mr. Mukaila Segun Babarinde, encouraged state commissioners to further promote SURWASH among their peers to boost engagement.
Attendees at the meeting included state commissioners, World Bank officials, and representatives from relevant ministries. Initial participating states are Delta, Gombe, Imo, Ekiti, Kaduna, Katsina, and Plateau.
