The Federal Government has expressed concerns over the poor implementation of the $700 million Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (SURWASH) programme by state governments. This was the focus of a High-Level Advocacy meeting in Abuja with governors from seven states implementing the programme—Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina, and Plateau.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, stated that the programme, currently in its third year of a six-year initiative, had not met expectations in terms of execution and disbursement. He attributed the delays to a lack of understanding and awareness among the governors, who play a key role in implementing the initiative.
Utsev announced plans to visit the participating states to assess their progress, provide guidance, and encourage other states to join the initiative. He expressed optimism that with proper support and commitment from the governors, the programme would meet its objectives and expand its impact.
World Bank Country Director, Ndiame Diop, added that Nigeria’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector was in a state of emergency, highlighting the urgency for improvements to match the nation’s ambitions. Expanding participation to more states could further enhance the programme’s effectiveness and contribute to national development goals.