Kaduna Moves to Bridge WASH Gaps as Stakeholders Push for Stronger Coordination
By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna
Stakeholders in Kaduna State’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector have renewed calls for stronger coordination, increased funding and community ownership to address persistent gaps in access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene services across the state.
The call was made during at end of the 1st Joint Sector Review (JSR) Workshop, which brought together government ministries, departments and agencies, development partners and civil society organisations to review progress and chart a path toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on clean water and sanitation, supported by UNICEF.
Speaking at the workshop, Theresa Pamma, WASH Specialist at UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, said the meeting provided an opportunity for stakeholders to assess the current state of WASH services in Kaduna State and identify urgent areas requiring intervention.
According to her, access to basic water supply in Kaduna State currently stands at 45 percent, while sanitation coverage is at 55 percent and hygiene practice remains at just 31 percent.
Pamma added that in schools across the North-West zone, where Kaduna belongs, access to sanitation is only 30 percent, while access to complete WASH components, including water supply, sanitation and hygiene is just 17 percent.
“These gaps are quite wide, and we really need to do more to reduce them so that more people can gain access to WASH services,” she said.
She noted that the workshop was also focusing on strengthening coordination within the WASH sector, especially following the disbandment of the Kaduna State Ministry of Water Resources some years ago, which she said weakened sector coordination.
“Right now, we are making efforts to strengthen the coordination and ensure that all the relevant sectors come together with a common vision and collective commitment to bridge those gaps,” she stated.
Also speaking, Dr. Jamil Haruna, Permanent Member of the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board representing the Executive Chairman, Mohammed Mubarak, stressed the importance of improving WASH facilities in schools across the state.
He disclosed that Kaduna State has more than 4,150 primary schools, many of which already have WASH facilities established by government and development partners.
However, he said more work was needed to ensure that schools have standard and functional facilities, especially in the area of maintenance.
“One of the greatest challenges has been coordination. Different organisations build WASH facilities in schools, but because there is no proper coordination, maintenance becomes difficult,” he said.
Haruna explained that the workshop would help prevent duplication of activities by ensuring collaboration among agencies such as RUWASA, SUBEB, the Primary Healthcare Board and UNICEF.
He also emphasised the need for community ownership of public facilities, noting that communities must see schools and WASH facilities as assets that belong to them and not solely government property.
According to him, the reconstitution of School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) in Kaduna State was aimed at strengthening community participation in managing schools and public facilities.
In his remarks, Joel Yanet, Director of Water Supply at Kaduna State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, said Kaduna State had made some progress towards achieving SDG 6.1 and 6.2 despite missing its initial 2025 target for ending open defecation.
He revealed that 10 local government areas in the state have so far attained Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, while the target has now been extended to 2030.
Yanet said preparations for the Joint Sector Review began earlier in the year to ensure key MDAs, especially finance and budget agencies, align efforts toward strengthening the WASH sector.
He also referenced the National Action Plan for the Revitalisation of the WASH Sector, which encouraged the establishment of national and state WASH funds to finance interventions in the sector.
According to him, the ongoing Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) programme has already delivered WASH facilities to about 48 institutions across the state.
He further disclosed that Kaduna State Governor had pledged ₦100 billion to support the WASH sector, alongside an additional ₦16 billion under the SURWASH project for urban and rural water supply initiatives.
Yanet said stakeholders at the end of the workshop were expected to develop a communiqué highlighting key challenges and recommendations for improving WASH services in Kaduna State.
