WWD: FCT RUWASSA and quest to accelerate access to water supply for rural dwellers

By Stanley Onyekwere

There is no gainsaying that accelerating access to water supply in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will improve the living standard of residents especially those in rural areas of the Territory. And the 2023 World Water Day (WWD) celebration with the theme: “Accelerating Change” has re-echoed the need for stakeholders to double efforts at improving coverage of water supply to rural areas.
Peoples Daily recalls that the commemoration of WWD which is March 22 began in 1993, to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle water and sanitation crisis.
Interestingly, the FCT Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Directorate (RUWASSA) marked the day with the unveiling of a multi million naira Solar powered water scheme, in Pyakasa, an aboriginal community, off the Abuja Airport Road, as part of its effort towards strengthening water and sanitation delivery in nation’s capital.
In particular, the project estimated to had cost the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) between 10 to 11 to million Naira, is part of its interventions through FCT RUWASSA, aimed at improving accessibility to safe drinking water in rural communities.
Performing the official commissioning of the project last week, FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, reiterated that the WWD is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis of about 2.2 billion people living without access to safe drinking water, stressing that the 2023 World Water Day is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis.
Represented by the Mandate Secretary, Area Council Services Secretariat, Hon. Ibrahim Abubakar Dantsoho, the minister, pledged the readiness of the Administration in supporting and encouraging collaboration and partnership in the provision of safe drinking water in rural communities.
She noted that the sustainability of both the private and public water sources is significant in the service delivery sector of the FCT.
She adds: “In this respect, I urge the good people of Abuja to embrace the clarion call for behavioural change to safely manage and conserve the available water resources for the current and future generations”.
Similarly, the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, who was represented at the occasion by the Director of Administration and Finance, Mr. Abdulrasaq Leramoh, also called on the benefiting communities to take ownership of the facilities and ensure their smooth operation, management and sustainability.
Not left out, Council Secretary for AMAC, Alh. Jafaru Gwagwa, who represented the AMAC Chairman Christopher Maikalangu, described the execution of the project as apt, as it will go a long to alleviate the plight of the people in the area, just as he urged RUWASSA to consider doing so in other parts of the Council and FCT at large.
On his part, the Executive Director, FCT-RUWASSA, Dr. Mohammed Ali Dan-Hassan, identified water as an essential component of life that is critical to the family unit, the community, local government, state and federal levels.
Dan-Hassan expressed the confidence that RUWASSA has reached about 60 percent of coverage of rural communities, adding that in the next one or two years, it would hit 90 to 95 percent coverage of water supply.
He recalled that RUWASSA established in November 2020, was able to mark WWD in Gosa communities in 2021, as well as Mawyeya Airport road, in 2022, this, according to him, clearly demonstrates resolve to attain its mandate, which include among others to deliver safe water, sanitation and hygiene services; improve access to safe water by providing new and rehabilitation of existing water schemes in rural communities; adequate sanitation to tackle open defecation; and improve hygiene promotion through education and sensitization campaign.
“Water and sanitation involves the lives of human beings especially children at various homes, who are the future , so the need for all stakeholders to play their parts diligently so that they can better the society.
“At about 60% of coverage of our rural communities, I’m sure that in the next one or two years, we will hit 90 -95% coverage of water supply. But, we are exploiting the ground water resource, because the pipe bone network has not reached those areas yet”, he stressed.
Stressing the importance of water to the human body, Dietician Roseline Uzoma Obia, of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, explained that water serves as lubricant to the body, therefore without it, there cannot be complete nutrients humans are looking for.
She noted that RUWASSA through the scheme tend to place importance providing water that has not been accessible to people who live in remote areas, as they tend to fall down to waterborne diseases.
According to her, the change there is the provision of the solar-powered water scheme, so there won’t be much challenge with the pumping of the water.
For Mr. Iliya Pydaza, who is a member and leader in the Pyakasa community, “it is so wonderful that the project is sited in our domain, as you can see the smiles on the faces of the people, which shows that the masses are being carried along in governance.”
He adds that, “it is good that once in a while, the government should be looking at improving living conditions in rural areas, where the masses lives will be touched.
“Everybody needs water, whether it’s for cooking, washing, drinking and otherwise, in fact virtually everything we do, usage of water is a must, that is why importance of what RUWASSA has done, using the water day commemoration to make water more accessible to our community cannot be over emphasised. So, we thank RUWASSA, and pray that the scheme should be extended to other places, even though we need more in Pyakasa”.
Similarly, a woman leader in the community, Mrs. Laraba Gambo, described the commissioning of the scheme as a welcome development, as it would boost access to good water supply.
Gambo adds, “we thank God for the scheme, which we believed will help alleviate our plight”.