Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s president, has said his administration has been giving priority to policies, programmes and projects targeted at promoting the good health, well-being and economic development of Nigerians since 2015.
The president said he has worked on tripling investments in infrastructure, harnessing natural resources, creation of access to services, such as water and basic healthcare for the citizenry.
Buhari Twho was represented by secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Gida Mustapha and supported by the ministers of industry, trade and investment; state for works and housing; and agriculture and rural development, Ambassador Maryam Katagum, Mu’azu Sambo Dadi and Mustapha Baba Shehuri respectively, spoke yesterday in Bauchi.
He said that the Third National Urban Water Sector Reform Project under which the up-grading of the Bauchi township water supply scheme has been executed is part of the deliberate policy of this administration to promote better services for the Nigerian populace by improving access to water supply in some selected states including Bauchi.
“These tripartite collaborative efforts involving the Bauchi State government, the World Bank and the federal government have become a success story and dividends by the project that I am commissioning today, especially the federal government as it is required by the multi-national donor funded projects provided the sovereign guarantee.”
Welcoming the president to the state, Governor Bala Mohammed, pleaded with the federal government to include the state in other ongoing and future programmes and projects such as Partnership for Expanded Water Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) and Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH).
The governor recalled that the state doesn’t have a Master Plan and Investment Plan for the WASH sector, but was happy that the Federal Ministry of Water Resources has agreed to include Bauchi in the consultancy to produce the Master Plan.
He expressed optimism that the consultancy will be concluded soonest to allow the state to access other support which, it has been told, requires the Master Plan as a condition for participation.
Mohammed reiterated the commitment of the state to both National and International protocols/conventions as regards WASH, as it reviews its policy on WASH to be in tandem with the SDGs and other protocols and conventions.
The governor revealed that the project was executed at the total cost of NGN23,596,194,172.00, with 90% of the amount borne by the World Bank while Bauchi State government contributed 10% as counterpart fund