The first meeting of the TAWASCO/USAID E-WASH media roundtable in the year 2020 has just ended in Jalingo Wednesday, where intensive deliberations on issues relating to effective potable water supply, sanitation and hygiene services in the last quarter of 2019 and parameters for the future, were discussed.
Present at the meeting were journalists, TAWASCO officials, USAID E-WASH officials and Civil Society organizations in Taraba state.
In the communique, TAWASCO and E-WASH were commended for their efforts in ensuring availability of potable water to the residents of Jalingo and other urban centres in the state while journalists were also commended for their role in reporting E-WASH related activities in the state.
However, “the media should beam their search light more on hygiene, sanitation and gender related issues” while “Government at all levels should ensure the provision of potable water and public toilet facilities in communities and public places and ensure adequate maintenance for improved hygiene and sanitation”.
In addition, “provision should be made for physically challenged people in the provision water, hygiene and sanitation services”.
Participants also “called for the revival of sanitary inspectors and advocated for legal backing in the prosecution of sanitary law violators” and also “cautioned against making irrelevant posts on the Urban Wash WhatsApp platform and also agreed on the creation of more Urban Wash social media platforms (Tweeter, Facebook and Instagram).
E-WASH means Effective- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services. It is a technical assistance support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for four years (2018-2022) with the objectives of creating professionally managed and commercially oriented State Water Supply Agencies, improved financial and operational viability to strengthen policy. The donor agencies develop the program while Nigerians implement it. The E-WASH covers Imo, Sokoto, Taraba, Abia, Niger, Delta, (I-STAND) and has an initial investment of $60million.
