MINNA (Water Resources Ministry Report)
The Nigerian Government in partnership with the Japanese International Cooperation (JICA) has provided a complete set of drilling equipment to five States namely- Niger, Taraba, Kebbi, Ondo and Enugu. This is in addition to the 788 hand pump boreholes earlier provided to rural communities in Oyo, Kano, Yobe, Katsina and Bauchi.
The Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Reng Ochekpe made this known lately in Minna, Niger State during the commissioning and handing over ceremony of the drilling equipment to five States comprising: Niger, Taraba, Kebbi, Ondo and Enugu.
Sarah Ochekpe said that the Federal Government through the National Planning Commission did approach JICA which is one of the prominent donor agencies in the world for assistance on water supply and sanitation. She further explained that it was in view of this that the Japanese Government through its agency in Nigeria, Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) agreed to provide some assistance in the form of Grant-In-Aid for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation to the Nigerian Government.
She also noted that in 2002, JICA approved the Grant-in Aid of 710 million Japanese Yen for the construction of 100 boreholes equipped with hand pumps in sixteen Local Government Areas in Oyo State. Adding, in 2005 JICA approved 356 million Yen for the provision of 240 boreholes in 33 local Governments Areas in Kano State and in 2007, JICA approved 265 million Yen for the construction of 89 boreholes in 17 Local Governments Areas in Yobe State. She further disclosed that in 2009, it also approved 505 million Yen for the construction of boreholes in Katsina and Bauchi States.
She noted that recently, the Government of Japan did approve a Grant-In-Aid of 1.1630 billion Japanese Yen to support some projects on Water Supply Development in Niger, Taraba, Kebbi, Ondo and Enugu States. ‘The amount, she said was used to procure complete sets of drilling equipment and accessories for the five States. She posited that the equipment had been commissioned and handed over to the benefiting States, urging the benefiting States to complement JICA by appropriating adequate funds for the maintenance of the equipment.
According to the Minister, JICA has granted assistance in the sum of 160 million Yen towards strengthening the capacity and development of the National Water Resources Institute in Kaduna. She charged all the benefiting States to send their officers to the National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna for training.
In his goodwill message, the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Ryuichi Shoji said that the Government of Japan is committed to partnering with the Government of Nigeria to ensure adequate water supply to rural areas. He added that water supply is very important in the socioeconomic development of the country.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Baba Umar Faruk represented by a Deputy Director in the Ministry, Rufus Onyeanusi said that the programme will go a long way in solving water supply and sanitation problems in the rural areas of the benefiting States.
In his remarks, the Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, represented by the Deputy Governor, Ahmed Musa Ibeto thanked the Nigerian Government as well as JICA for the partnership which aims at ensuring poverty reduction and improvement of life in the benefiting communities through increased water supply. He added that the project would impact on the lives of the benefiting States.
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