By Umaiya Abubakar Njidda
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has set a target of reaching 150,000 vulnerable individuals across two Local Government Areas in Adamawa State under the Accelerated Sanitation and Water for All (ASWA) III Programme.
Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi, disclosed this during the inauguration of the project and a press briefing held in Yola on Thursday.
She explained that the programme would be implemented in Ganye and Sheleng Local Government Areas of the state.
Rafique stated that Adamawa is one of the focal states under the Bauchi Field Office to benefit from the project, which is being funded by the Government of the Netherlands.
She described the initiative as a small-powered project, stressing that the real power lies in the commitment of the state government and council chairmen, who are expected to play a key role in bridging the identified gaps.
Aisha Yusuf, ASWA Desk Officer in Adamawa, said the project had positively impacted the lives of vulnerable persons during the ASWA II implementation in Guyuk and Jada Local Government Areas.
She highlighted some of the achievements, including the elimination of open defecation, the drilling of solar-powered boreholes, renovation of schools, and the provision of improved sanitation facilities in health centers.
She noted that similar interventions would be replicated in Ganye and Sheleng under the current ASWA project phase.
In his remarks, Audi Ayuba, Commissioner for Water Resources, expressed appreciation to UNICEF for its support in the water and sanitation sector, which he said aligns with Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s eight-point agenda for the state.
He assured that the state government would do everything possible to fill the gaps and expand the initiative to other local government areas.