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By Ada Okafor
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, has said her office will continue to support states and local government in the provision of water in communities across the country.
Princess Orelope-Adefulire said in a statement for the commemoration of the 2022 World Water Day (WWD) on Tuesday, in Abuja, that water remains the most essential need of human beings.
The theme for the 2022 celebration is: “Groundwater-making the invisible visible” with emphasis on environmental, social and economic value of water.
Orelope -Adefulire stated that provision of clean water is not “only essential for sustenance of livelihoods and sanitation as stated in Goal 6 of the SDGs, but a pivot to achievement of other goals of the 2023 Agenda”. She noted for instance, that clean water is essential for attainment SDG 1, 2, 3 and 4 on no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being and quality education respectively.
The presidential aide revealed that “in realisation of this fact, the Office of Senior Special Assistant to the President On Sustainable Development Goals, OSSAP-SDGs, has intervened in provision of facilities for water supplies across different communities in Nigeria within the limits of resources available to it since 2017.
“In 2017, for instance, we provided 126 solar-powered boreholes, 53 hand pump boreholes and 1571 water pumping machines in various parts of the country.
“In 2018, OSSAP-SDGS provided 26 solar powered boreholes, 40 handpump boreholes and 1593 water pumping machines across the country.
“Also, in 2019, the office provided 32 solar powered boreholes and 31 hand pump boreholes across the country.
“In 2020, the figure was 62 solar powered boreholes, 65 hand pumps boreholes and 1779 water pumping machines”.
She added that OSSAP-SDGs also partnered with the FCT Administration to complete the abandoned Abaji Water works which is now serving many communities in the Abaji area of Abuja.
“Provison of solar-powered boreholes has also now become a key part of our interventions in rehabilitation of schools and provision of health care facilities across the country.
“All the Mother and Child Centres we have been building are not only equipped with state of the art facilities, but also with solar powered boreholes.
“We thank President Muhammadu Buhari for providing us with the resources we have used to accomplish these modest achievements in the water sector.
“We will continue to work with all stakeholders in to ensure that Nigeria and Nigerians are not left behind in the race to achieve the 2030 Agenda, she assured.
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