In a bid to continually drive the enabling environment for private sector players to contribute and invest across the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene value chain, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Reckitt Benckiser on CLEAN NAIJA PROJECT yesterday in Abuja.
Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu recounted that the Ministry’s effort in actualizing it’s mandate, have given birth to some initiatives geared towards improving access to sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.
Having identified the Private sector/stakeholders in the pursuit of the Ministry’s mandate, Adamu said, “we understand as Government the need to create an enabling environment and framework that incentivises the participation of the Private sector in service delivery”.
Adamu revealed that a coordinating platform known as OPWASH (Organized Private Sector in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) was launched in 2019 with the mandate of ensuring effective coordination of the Private sector interventions and aimed at reducing Nigeria’s poor indices on WASH.
Earlier, the Group Manager, Reckitt Benkizer Sub Saharan Africa, Akbar Ali Shah said that the main objective of the company is to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world, saying it is an honour that the Ministry of Water Resources finds her worthy of partnership in it’s “Clean Nigeria Initiative”.
Akbar revealed that Reckitt through it’s Dettol brand have initiated Hygiene educational programs, to mention but a few and her resolve to being a part of the reason why Nigeria will accomplish one of it’s objective which is, reducing diarrhoea related child mortality, in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of 2030, via the “Clean Naija Initiative”.
The group Manager while expressing gratitude said, “Reckitt Nigeria is commiting to partner with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in the area of WASH on Awareness Building, Eco-system Creation, Infrastructure Development and Behavioural Change in order to achieve a cleaner and healthier Nigeria”.
Meanwhile, the Memorandum of Understanding details initiatives on Awareness Creation, Stakeholders’ collaboration and infrastructural development, intended to contribute to reduction in diarrhoea disease occasioned by poor Sanitation and Hygiene practices, improvement in Sanitation and Hygiene services; and elimination of open defecation in line with the objectives of the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign.
The Permanent Secretary FMWR Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, assured the Group Manager Reckit of the cooperation of the Ministry in the work towards meeting the SDGs 6, which is Water and Sanitation for All.
