The Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMWR) in conjunction with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is organizing a four-day workshop for the 10 States that have benefited from the Japanese Grant Aid Project for the Improvement of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agencies (RUWASSA), in their respective States.

 In a statement released by the agency and made available to CEOAFRICA news, the workshop will create an avenue to learn from each other, establish a robust network and share best practices among the 10 States.

 It explained that since the year 2000, JICA has been extending its support in improved rural water supply  in 10 states in Nigeria, namely Oyo, Kano, Yobe, Bauchi, Katsina, Ondo, Niger, Taraba, Enugu and Kebbi.

The support according to JICA is through the combination of Grant Aid Cooperation and In-Country Training Programme, which encompasses the provision of equipment to construct water boreholes and capacity enhancement of the personnel working in the State RUWASSA / WATSAN, LGAs and beneficial communities through their WASHCOMMS.

The statement stated that the support has yielded tremendous improvement of rural water supply systems and livelihoods of beneficial communities in the targeted 10 states.

JICA added that at the end of the Workshop, it is expected that the counterpart agencies shall be able to adequately operate and maintain their drilling equipment, develop skills to teach communities on adequate operation and maintenance (O&M), as well as skills to mobilize communities for sustainable management of water infrastructure.

The workshop is an opportunity to showcase the results of JICA’s intervention in the water sector and its also expected that FMWR, States and other Development Partners upscale this model of equipment transfer and capacity building for effective water resource management to other States in Nigeria, thus resulting in improved rural water supply.