From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The Jigawa State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) and Jigawa State Environmental Protection Agency (JISEPA)with support From United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), organized a five day training for state, local governments and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on Climate Resilient Safely Managed Sanitation (CR-SMS) for Post- ODF Sustainability in Jigawa the state.
Speaking during the training held at Haitel Hotel Dutse, the Managing Director Jigawa State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), Engineer Abubakar Sidi said, the effort is inline with twelve points agenda of the present administration in the state.
He explained that Climate Resilient Safely Managed Sanitation is one of the Sustainable Development Goals’ Components as World standards status aiming to achieve in Jigawa state.
According him, Jigawa already achieved Open Defication Free in 2022 and it is working hard to implement the sustainability approaches in which CR-SMS is one of it.
“Achieving ODF status statewide is a major milestone. But as we all know, getting to ODF was only the beginning. Ensuring those gains endure and that sanitation services are safe, equitable, and resilient to climate shocks requires renewed focus and a concerted”, he said.
The MD identified strategies adopted for climate-resilient, safely managed sanitation as Climate-smart infrastructure and design, Comprehensive faecal sludge and wastewater management, Strong institutions, financing and monitoring and Community engagement, inclusion and behaviour change Communities must remain at the centre.
Also delivering his remarks, the Managing Director Jigawa State Environmental Protection Agency (JISEPA) Sanitarian Adamu Sabo said, the participants were selected from four local government of Birnin-Kudu, Dutse, Kafin-Hausa and Sule-Tankarkar local government areas.
Sabo maintained that, achieving and sustaining ODF status is an extraordinary accomplishment, but it is a step on a longer journey toward safe, dignified, and resilient sanitation for all.
He added that, Climate change raises the stakes and calls us to be bolder in our designs, smarter in our institutions, and firmer in our commitment to inclusion and sustainability.
The MD then called for collaborative effort to ensure that the dignity restored by sanitation, and Jigawa communities are protected from climate shocks, and that every child grows up healthier because of sanitation systems that are safe, resilient, and sustainable.
