The Federal Government said on Monday it would certainly seek around $1bn from the development partners to boost water supply as well as irrigation services throughout Nigeria.
The government said the fund would be used to further enhance its Water Sector Reform programme, which covers infrastructure development, public-private partnership, institutional strengthening and capacity building.
The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, said this in Abuja during the third workshop on performance assessment, benchmarking and governance issues of water agencies in Nigeria.
She said, “Since the commencement of the programme in 2004, close to $1bn in loans and grants have been sourced by the Federal Government from the World Bank, African Development Bank, French Development Agency, European Union, USAID and the Islamic Development Bank for its implementation in 12 states
“The level of success being recorded in the implementation of the programme has given us the confidence to plan and support the process of up-scaling it to cover water supply and irrigation development in additional 12 states and two River Basin Development Authorities. When the ongoing process matures, additional facilities of about $1bn will be further sourced from the partners.”
Ochekpe, who was represented by the Director, Special Duties, Office of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Daniel Dauda, explained that the loan obtained in 2004 was primarily to boost infrastructure in 12 states.
According to her, the programme will improve access to potable water supply by the citizens.
The minister said it would also enhance the performances of the state water agencies for sustainable service delivery.
The government, she said, would monitor and evaluate the programme closely to ensure service delivery and success.
“Let me use this opportunity to call on the governments of the states that are currently on the programme to be more proactive through the formulation and implementation of necessary action plans that will enhance the achievements of sustainable water service delivery to the citizens of their states,” Ochekpe added.
