By Donald Ojebo
The Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene Programme (SURWASH) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring all subprojects being implemented by participating States complies with the international best practices on environmental and social safeguard.
This was the position of the SURWASH , a World Bank assisted programme where the officials of the Federal Programme Implementation Unit (FPIU) embarked on a two days Safeguards Technical Support Mission to Delta State, on programme implementation.
The Team Lead, , Environmental Safeguard Officer, Federal Programme Implementation Unit, SURWASH, Abuja, Engr. Yaknan Mamdam stated that the purpose of the visit was to to get first hand information on Environment and Social challenges encountered during implementation especially those related to compliance at sub projects, engage with implementing agencies and also prepare for broader E&S training as agreed during previous missions.
He suggested that environmental and social safeguards are crucial in developmental activities to ensure that projects are sustainable, inclusive, and to minimize adverse impacts on the environment.
“In the cause of bringing development to the communities such as provision of potable water for residents we are not to create problems that might erode the intended benefits.
Engr. Mamdam said that salient points from the mission will be used to prepare a brief guidance note that will help ensure the effective and timely integration of Environmental and Social aspects into project implementation.
On her part, the Social Safeguards Officer, Federal Programme Implementation Unit, SURWASH, Abuja, Mrs. Uche Iwuala emphasized the need for proper community engagement as this will go a long way to enhance community ownership of government projects and also reduce conflicts among various stakeholders.
During the visit, the Team first had an interactive session with the General Managers, Environment, and Social safeguard officers in the Implementing Agencies (IAs), and same officers in the State Programme Implementation Unit (SPIU) after which they all visited the subproject sites where they held field-level interactions with the officers.
The three subprojects sites inspected during the visit included Rehabilitation and Improvement of 3nos, Cluster Water Supply Scheme in Igbe-Ogume, Ogbe-Ogume and Ogbeole-Ogume Town in Ndokwa West LGA; Rehabilitation and Improvement of Water Supply Scheme in Bethel Town, Isoko North LGA being implemented by the Delta State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency and Improvement/Rehabilitation of Kwale Water Supply Scheme, Kwale, Ndokwa West LGA being implemented by the Delta State Urban Water Corporation.
Environmental and social safeguards are essential for sustainable water management in Nigeria. By implementing these safeguards, Delta State and Nigeria as a whole can ensure safe water access, environmental protection, and social inclusion while preventing conflicts and resource depletion.
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