By Yemi Olakitan
A report by Network of Female Professionals in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (FEMinWASH), has said the non-operation of boreholes costs Nigeria N207 million ($517,524) annually.
According to the report, contractors and technocrats have wasted limited resources that could be used to increase water supply or repair damaged water infrastructure by failing to implement the national strategy for Village Level Operation and Maintenance (VLOM).
At a press conference held by the FCT Rural Water and Sanitation (RUWASA) and the Bank of Industry yesterday in Abuja, the chairperson of FEMinWASH, Dr. Boluwaji Onabolu, outlined findings on the sustainability of water supply.
According to Onabolu, the study’s findings showed that for every 100 inoperable boreholes, $517,524 is lost; if it’s a motorised borehole, the loss is $478,950; if it’s a handpump, the loss is anticipated to be roughly $38,574.
Onabolu demanded that women be involved in the operation and upkeep of water infrastructure while pointing out that a lack of gender engagement was having an impact on the provision of WASH services in Nigeria.
She said involving women in the operation and upkeep of water systems would significantly advance sustainability and improve people’s lives as a whole.
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She recalled that the WASHNORM survey of 2021 noted that 61% of water supplies evaluated were strained and non-functional, adding that rapid population expansion is one of the causes for the decrease in percentage access as over 30 million people got access between 2019 and 2021.
She said another factor preventing the industry from making the projected outstanding progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6.1 was the inadequate sustainability of water sources.
The chairwoman stated that, particularly in rural regions, putting into practise the National Village Level Operation and Maintenance (VLOM) policy was essential for renovating and restoring damaged water infrastructure.
Dr. Mohammed Dan-Hassan, the executive director of FCT RUWASSA, said that the organisation has outlined plans for resolving every WASH issue in the FCT.
Dan-Hassan praised the work of FEMinWASH and stated that putting access to water and sanitation first would help Nigeria achieve its SDG goals prior to 2030.
A representative of the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria, Ms. Kucheli Augustine, stated that the collaboration with female environmental health officers was essential for advocacy and impact.
She pointed out that the lack of sustainable techniques in the provision of water and sanitation services was costing the country a great deal of money.
