The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, on Monday urged the World Bank to increase funding and support to address pressing water and sanitation challenges facing the country.

Mr Utsev made the call during a meeting with the outgoing and incoming World Bank Country Directors, Mr Shubham Chaudhuri and Ndiame Diop, respectively, in Abuja.

Acknowledging Nigeria’s long standing partnership with the World Bank, Mr Utsev stressed its pivotal role, noting that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was committed to advancing livelihoods through the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The agenda, he said, encompassed initiatives aimed at enhancing electricity provision, strengthening food production via irrigation farming, ensuring access to safe water, and improving sanitation.

He said the ministry was anticipating further funding for the Sustainable Power and Irrigation Project for Nigeria.

Mr Utsev expressed optimism that the initiative would not only generate employment opportunities for the youth, but also augment power generation and agricultural output, thereby enhancing the overall well-being of citizens.

The minister reiterated the Federal Government’s dedication to engaging Nigerian youths in productive endeavours such as agriculture, along with other youth-centric programmes initiated by the President.

Earlier, Mr Chaudhuri commended Nigeria’s strides in the water and sanitation sector and assured the minister of the organisation’s continued support under the new leadership.

He thanked the people and government of Nigeria for their support for World Bank interventions, saying such assistance should be given to his predecessor.

In response, the incoming Country Director, Ndiame Diop, affirmed the World Bank’s commitment to collaborating closely with the ministry to identify priority areas for intervention.

Also, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Shehu Shinkafi, urged the World Bank to expedite the approval process for grants to enable the country to benefit more from its interventions.

In a related development, the minister also met with the team from Self Help Africa, led by its Country Director, Dr Joy Aderele.

Mr Utsev urged the organisation to promote efforts against open defecation, particularly in rural areas.

He emphasised the importance of educating rural dwellers about the hazards of open defecation and the necessity of using proper sanitation facilities to achieve a healthier and more prosperous nation.

This, he noted, aligned with the target of achieving Open Defecation Free status by 2025.

(NAN)