The National Strategy for the Implementation of Village Level Operation and Maintenance (VLOM) of Rural Water Supply Facilities has been launched by the federal government.
The Honourable Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, who formally launched the VLOM recently at the workshop on the implementation of the national action plan for the revitalization of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector, in Abuja, explained that it is part of the FG’s sustainability efforts to ensure that access to adequate and equitable supply of safe drinking water in our rural areas is achieved.
According to him, “The Strategy will not only enable us to put ownership of the facilities in the hands of the communities but to an institutional arrangement for their adequate operation and maintenance.”
Speaking on the need to work towards the implementation of the National Action Plan as a follow up to the resolution at the 25th meeting of the National Council of Water Resources, Engr. Adamu said: “We on our part, have started taking steps by setting up the National Coordination Office (NCO) to coordinate the Action Plan implementation.
“We have urged state governments, through a letter to the Governors, to take advantage of the support offered by the National Coordination Office to Implement the National Action Plan.”
The National Action Plan was put in place to address the reported low access levels to water, sanitation and hygiene services and the consequent high prevalence of waterborne diseases in different parts of the country.
He further added that: “As sector practitioners and related sector experts, we must take a critical look at the five pillars of the National Action Plan, namely: governance, sustainability, sanitation, funding and financing, and monitoring and evaluation; and provide clarity to Nigerians on what we will do to implement these pillars during the Emergency Phase.
“As you may be aware, within the National Action Plan, a provision has been made for the establishment of a National WASH Fund to mobilize available resources in line with the estimated expenditure to provide water and sanitation for all by 2030.
“The Fund will renew a Federal-State partnership towards the credible pursuits of the SDGs and ensure that the Federal Government effectively guides, supports and incentivize state investment and reform efforts.
“We have been deliberate in inviting practitioners in the Nigerian development finance sector, including the Central Bank, Nigeria Infrastructure Development Bank, Federal Mortgage Bank and TETFund, and welcome our multilateral and bilateral partners as we deliberate on the processes to establish the WASH Fund.”
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs. Comfort Ekaro, said that the workshop was meant to build on the past efforts and develop a common understanding among stakeholders as well as identify appropriate platforms for its implementation.
According to her, “Our ministry is committed to ensuring that we ‘leave no one behind’.
“Water and sanitation is a human right, a first step out of poverty and a foundation for the attainment of all sustainable development objectives.
“It is our belief that we can make water and sanitation accessible to all by 2030, we should strive to make this happen for the sake of our children, our girls and our women.”
