The federal government has urged its contractors implementing the Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme to adhere to standards and specifications.

Nicholas Madu, director of Water Supply and Support Services in the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, said this at the 2022/2023 PEWASH Project Implementation Take-off Meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

He said the government would not tolerate sharp practices and shoddy projects, saying the programme is an opportunity to improve access to potable water supply for rural communities.

According to him, the take-off meeting is to familiarise with the contractors and to draw attention to the execution of the contracts to ensure that they comply with the required standards.

“It is important because we want to be sure of the quality of the services we are delivering for Nigerian people. So, we are going to hold the contractors strictly accountable for that,” stated Mr Madu. “And in certifying their jobs, we will not accept anything short of the standards that we have set in our documents, so we must emphasise that and we insist on that.”

Mr Madu noted that the PEWASH 2022/2023 programme implemented in Kaduna, Katsina, Delta, Gombe and Nasarawa was approved in the protocol signed with the five state governments.

He added that it was a national collaboration with all stakeholders to fill access gaps in water supply and sanitation in rural communities. Mr Madu said it would contribute to improvements in public health and eradication of poverty.

Mr Madu, however, pledged the government’s commitment to fulfil its obligations by providing the necessary resources, adding that qualitative and timely project delivery is crucial.

PEWASH national coordinator Jummai Wakaso said the programme was designed for the improvement of rural water supply and sanitation towards the achievement of SDG six.

Ms Wakaso said this was to increase access to water supply and sanitation to address the pathetic situation of the reported increase in the number of people dying from avoidable water and sanitation-related diseases in our communities.

“The PEWASH programme, which commenced implementation with two states, with Kano and Ogun, in 2016, considers the enthusiasm with which the programme was accepted by stakeholders,” said Ms Wakaso. “This is a demonstration of the ministry’s determination to achieve the objective for which the programme was established.”

(NAN)