United Nations Water Sanitation Advisory Board seeks Nigeria First Lady’s support

The Wife of Nigerian President, Patience Jonathan, who is President of the African First Ladies Peace Mission, has expressed her willingness to support the initiatives of the United Nations Water Sanitation Advisory Board which aims at improving water and sanitation in Nigeria and Africa.

The First Lady made this known on Wednesday February 12, 2014 in Abuja when she received a delegation from the United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Water Sanitation led by the Chief Executive Officer of Water Sanitation for Africa, Idrissa Doucoure.

She emphasized the importance of good sanitation and the need to deliver safe water to communities across Africa, saying this would help to reduce the problem of waterborne diseases as well improve on health provision. “If our environment is clean, our health and general wellbeing will also improve,” she said.

The First Lady espoused on her readiness to offer her support to projects that would improve on the standards of living, especially in grassroots communities to impact positively on women and children. She commended the Chief Executive Officer of Water and Sanitation Africa for creating awareness across the on safe water and improved sanitation.

Speaking earlier, Idrissa Doucoure referred to the World Health Organisation statistics and noted that that 700,000 people die from diarrhea in Africa annually as a result of poor sanitation and unsafe water.  He solicited the support of the First Lady for the initiative, saying the ‘First Ladies Coalition for Sanitation and Hygiene’ is expected to serve as springboard for action towards improved sanitation and hygiene in the African continent.