WaterAid Nigeria and the Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) have reaffirmed their commitment to improving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), with the council increasing its investment in the sector to nearly ₦100 million.
The commitment was renewed on Thursday during a WASH stakeholders’ town hall meeting in Ikeja, where government officials, community leaders and residents assessed progress on ongoing interventions and discussed strategies to sustain improved access to safe water and sanitation.
Speaking at the event, WaterAid Nigeria’s WASH Manager, Mr. Godfrey Iloha, said the organization focuses on influencing government policies and mobilizing public investment rather than directly constructing WASH facilities.
According to him, WaterAid works closely with federal, state and local governments to strengthen investments that guarantee sustainable access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene.
“We work with state and local governments to influence policies and investments that will ensure sustainable access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene,” he said.
Iloha noted that WaterAid had, for the first time in Ikorodu North, created a platform that enabled residents to engage directly with elected representatives on pressing WASH challenges.
He said the initiative had improved government understanding of community needs and accelerated interventions across the council.
According to him, Ikorodu North LCDA has already replicated three WaterAid-inspired WASH projects in different communities.
He disclosed that the council initially committed ₦70 million to the projects but later increased the funding to about ₦100 million, describing the move as evidence of stronger political commitment to the sector.
Iloha reiterated that access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene is a fundamental human right and pledged WaterAid’s continued support for governments and communities in delivering sustainable and inclusive WASH services.
Chairman of the Community Development Committee in Ikorodu North LCDA, Prince Adeniran Ogunbanwo, said the council had successfully sustained nearly all WaterAid interventions through strong community ownership and government backing.
He revealed that the council is constructing three additional water facilities using the WaterAid model, with the first expected to be completed next month.
Ogunbanwo said the town hall had helped communities identify and prioritize their WASH needs while providing a direct channel for engaging government authorities.
He added that the Environmental Health Department had intensified campaigns against open defecation while encouraging private sector investment in public toilets and water infrastructure.
According to him, the council is prepared to allocate land to credible investors willing to develop public sanitation facilities.
Ogunbanwo also disclosed that improvements had been carried out at the Odonla Primary Health Center following WaterAid’s intervention, alongside the provision of an ambulance to strengthen healthcare delivery.
He said the Olorunda Primary Health Center would commence 24-hour operations before the end of the year, while more primary healthcare centers would be upgraded.
He added that the council is replacing temporary health facilities with permanent structures and converting electrically powered boreholes to solar-powered systems to ensure reliable water supply.
According to him, improved access to clean water and sanitation would significantly reduce preventable diseases and lessen the burden on primary healthcare facilities.
Also speaking, the Deputy Mayor and Vice Chairman of Ikorodu North LCDA, Mr. Matthew Aliu, said the council has partnered with WaterAid since 2022 to expand access to safe water and sanitation in schools, markets, health centers and communities.
Represented by the Council Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Apanishile, Aliu said government officials had remained actively involved in implementing and sustaining WaterAid-supported projects.
He noted that he personally chairs the council’s WASH Committee, underscoring the administration’s commitment to ensuring long-term sustainability.
Aliu said the council had repaired vandalized and faulty facilities while putting measures in place to ensure future administrations continue maintaining completed projects.
“We want these facilities to remain functional for decades, even after our tenure,” he said.
He added that the council had independently executed similar solar-powered water projects in several communities, including the LASTMA office and the Army Children’s School.
According to him, eight of the council’s 10 primary healthcare centers have now been equipped with solar-powered water systems inspired by the WaterAid model, providing treated and chlorinated water for residents.
Aliu commended WaterAid for delivering more than 20 water facilities across the LCDA, noting that replicating such investments solely with council resources would have taken several years.
“WaterAid has made us proud, and we must reciprocate by fulfilling our responsibility as a government to sustain and expand these interventions for our people,” he said.
 have reaffirmed their commitment to improving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), with the council increasing its investment in the sector to nearly ₦100 million.){kind=link}