The Federal Government on Thursday signed an agreement with the Japanese Government to increase water supply coverage in the rural communities in Enugu, Kebbi, Niger, Ondo and Taraba states.
The agreement between the Government of Japan and the Federal Government for N2.42 billion (1.163 billion Yen) grant was signed by Mrs Sarah Ochekpe Minister of Water Resources, on behalf of the Nigerian Government.
Mr Ryuichi Shoji the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria signed on behalf of his country.
In her speech at the occasion, Ochekpe said the agreement was in line with the transformation agenda of the current administration to eradicate poverty through the supply of potable water in Nigeria.
She said that with the current 58 per cent water supply coverage of the country, more than 70 million Nigerians lacked potable water supply.
“In rural areas, only 42 per cent of people have access to potable water supply, many of our children are dying of diseases associated with water; this is unacceptable to the current administration.
“We are, therefore, focusing more attention in the water sector, this is the reason why we need to collaborate to ensure good water supply for our people,’’ she said.
Ochekpe said the Nigerian Government requested the assistance of the Japanese to achieve its water sector plans.
“They (Japanese) responded with a field survey, which resulted in choosing the five states to implement the project,’’ she said, and commended the Japanese Government for its contributions to develop the water sector in Nigeria.
Shoji, the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, said improvement in water supply had been one of Japan’s priority areas in its contribution to Nigeria’s development.
He said his country had contributed more than N6.4 billion to the development of water projects in Nigeria through its Grant in Aid Programme, which started in 2001.
“With this grant-in-aid, Japan’s assistance in rural water supply in form of supplying equipment and machineries covers a total of 12 states in the country.
“In the five states covered by this grant-in-aid, over the next five years, 1,250 new water supply stations will be constructed and 330,000 people will benefit from them,’’ he said.?
The envoy said that the supply of clean and safe water to these states constitutes a key to solving a wide range of issues.
According to him, the project will assist in relieving rural dwellers of heavy burden, particularly women, who he said trekked long distances to fetch water.?
Shoji said that access to water would improve the practice of personal hygiene, which was the first step in the fight against water borne diseases.
“Clean water is an essential element to ensure basic hygiene and a basic daily life need; I wish and believe that these projects would improve the lives of the community people,’’ Shoji said.
NAN recalled that the Japanese Government had previously collaborated with Nigeria on grant aid programmes to boost water supply and sanitation in five states of Oyo, Kano, Yobe, Bauchi, and Katsina.?
In 2002, Japan approved a 710 million Yen (N1.5 billion) grant-in-aid for the construction of 100 boreholes, equipped with hand pumps in 16 local government areas of Oyo State.
In 2005, Japan gave Kano State 356 million Yen (N740 million) for the provision of 240 boreholes sunk in 33 local governments. (NAN