Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The Kano State Government has signed a N12. 7 billion partnership agreement with the Federal government for expanded water supply, sanitation and hygiene (PEWASH).
While Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje signed for the state government, Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, signed for the Federal government in a ceremony that took place, on Tuesday.
According to Governor Ganduje, “The project clearly shows the concern of Mr. President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has for our rural people who largely depend on hand pumps and motorized boreholes.
“This intervention has come at the right time. The programme has actually dovetailed into our five year development plan”.
“By the signing of this partnership agreement today, we will swing into action because we have made appropriate budgetary allocation for the project”, he added.
In the same direction, the governor announced that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a development facility of $200 million with the Islamic Development Bank for the integrated water and agricultural development in the state.
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He noted with delight that Kano State has also keyed into the Third Urban Sector Reform Project which was signed between the Federal Government and the government of France, which entailed a credit facility of $75 million for the rehabilitation Challawa water treatment plants in the state as well as the Greater Kano water transmission and distribution system network.
The governor thanked the European Union, UNICEF and DFID for working closely with the government of Kano State for many years, stating that the collaboration has resulted in tremendous improvement in access to water supply and sanitation in the state.
Earlier, the Minister also explained that his Ministry established the programme “to mobilise all stakeholders’ efforts and channel them towards the same goal, objectives and targets of providing sustainable water supply, sanitation and hygiene for our people, especially those living in the rural communities”.