Calabar, Cross River State – Cross River has inaugurated a State Task Group on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (STG-WASH) to address critical issues with WASH activities in the state.
The STG-WASH, made up of 45 members, was inaugurated on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, in conjunction with the Cross River State Government, Self Help Africa (SHA), United Kingdom International Development, Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) and other development partners.
The group is made up of Engr. Okon Ita, Permanent Secretary of the Cross River State Ministry of Water Resources as Chairman; Mr Godwin Nyiam, Managing Director of the Cross River State Water Board Limited as Vice Chairman, and Hon. Oko Sunday Ebeku, General Manager of Cross River State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWATSSA) as Secretary, among others.
Speaking during the inauguration, Richard Pheelangwah, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, urged stakeholders to strengthen their efforts in achieving universal access to safe water and sanitation in Cross River State.
Pheelangwah, who was represented by Ayaba Kogbara, Deputy Director of Hygiene and Promotion in the ministry, highlighted the significance of the event, noting it establishes a framework to enhance WASH service delivery in the state.
He commended the state for its early strides in achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF) Local Government Areas (LGAs) while urging renewed efforts to address gaps in sanitation and hygiene practices.
He praised the Cross River State Government for emulating the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS) model and aligning its strategies with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation.
“At the national level, we have a well-established National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS) which has been instrumental in coordinating sanitation initiatives across the country. I would like to applaud Cross River State for emulating and strengthening this model through the formation of the STG-WASH. By adopting a similar approach at the state level, we are ensuring that our strategies are not only consistent but also responsive to local needs.
“Let me emphasise the importance of water, sanitation, and hygiene in our daily lives as a vital tool of development. Unfortunately, Nigeria still faces significant challenges in these areas. I must, however, admit that we are making appreciable progress with 135 LGAS ODF, and l must commend Cross River state and all the stakeholders in WASH for the work so far as being the first state that produces ODF LGA in Nigeria,” he said.
He also acknowledged the contributions of Self-Help Africa and the Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) in organising the event and advancing WASH initiatives nationwide.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Self-Help Africa and NEWSAN, the main organisers of this event, for their unwavering commitment to improving WASH services in our country. Your dedication and support have been crucial in making this inauguration possible, and we are grateful for your partnership,” he added.
The Permanent Secretary charged the newly inaugurated task group to collaborate in identifying sectoral gaps and fostering solutions to improve water and sanitation services.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting Cross River State and other stakeholders in their drive to improve the health and well-being of communities through enhanced WASH practices.
In his keynote address, Bassey Offiong Mensah, Esq., Cross River State Commissioner for Water Resources, highlighted the need for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to WASH service delivery.
Mensah noted that the workshop was convened to address the inactive coordination structure of WASH in the state, a challenge identified during the State Visioning Workshop held in August 2024 by Self-Help Africa.
The Commissioner outlined the objectives of the inaugural workshop, including the establishment of an operational STG-WASH, capacity building, and fostering gender equity and social inclusion in WASH programmes.
He expressed optimism that the newly inaugurated task group would harmonise efforts among government ministries, development partners, NGOs, and community-based organisations to ensure effective planning, implementation, and monitoring of WASH initiatives.
“I hereby charge you, distinguished participants drawn from government MDAs, development partners, NGOs and community-based organizations, to ensure a harmonized and efficient approach to WASH initiatives in the Cross River State,” Mensah said.
On his part, Hon. Oko Sunday Ebeku, General Manager of the Cross River State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWATSSA), emphasised the need for collective effort and commitment to achieve universal access to WASH in the state.
Hon. Ebeku described the establishment of the STG-WASH as a critical step towards addressing WASH-related challenges, particularly for rural and vulnerable populations. He highlighted the task group’s role in coordinating activities, mobilising resources, monitoring progress, and fostering community engagement.
“To members of the STG-WASH, I charge you with effective collaboration and teamwork, innovative solutions where the need arises, community engagement, accountability and transparency.
“Your dedication will ensure increased access to clean water, improve sanitation and hygiene facilities and enhance globally acceptable hygiene best practices, leading to an increase in the number of ODF LGAs, which will eventually see the state celebrating a state-wide ODF in a few years to come,” he stated.
He expressed appreciation for the support of development partners such as Self-Help Africa, UNICEF, Partners for Development, the World Health Organization, and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources. He also commended the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, for his commitment to advancing the WASH sector.
In a keynote address on behalf of Mrs Joy Aderele, Country Director of SHA, Dorgu Ebiye Bright said the organisation is currently working in three states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
“We are currently in three states; Cross River, Kano and Benue, including the FCT. The purpose of our support for a programme like this is to improve state coordination among partners.
“States already have systems in place that are working, what we’re doing is to strengthen these systems. Cross River is already on the map, though we have gone, and I hope this inauguration brings more fruits,” he said.
The inauguration was also attended by but not limited to Hon. Kingsley Ntui, Member Representing Etung and Chairman Committee on Water Resources in the State House of Assembly and Hon. (Dr) Fred Okem, Executive Chairman of Yala Local Government Area, who was also inaugurated into the STG-WASH.
