As part of efforts aimed at mitigating the effect of climate change in Nigeria, WaterAid has charged communities in Nigeria to embrace the use of climate – resilient Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practice which also contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Country Director, WaterAid Nigeria, Evelyn Mere while speaking in Abuja on Thursday at the National Conference on WASH and Climate Change stated that the conference comes at a time when there is a pressing global concern on the impacts of climate change on communities, ecosystems and vital resources, ground, and surface water.
According to Mere, widespread evidence shows that freshwater bodies are shrinking and losing their quality with effects on citizens health, well-being, dignity and livelihoods adding that this will make it increasingly difficult for citizens and communities to access safe water, have good sanitation and practice good hygiene behaviours, hence WASH practice should be duly embraced.
She explained that with less than a decade to achieving the goals of SDG6, data from a 2023 WHO/UNICEF report shows that 703 million people in the world – almost one in ten – don’t have clean water close to home; and 1.5 billion people in the world – almost one in five – don’t have a decent toilet of their own.
She stressed that in Nigeria, about 68 million do not have access to basic water supply services, 113 million people lack access to basic sanitation services and 171 million people, lack access to basic hygiene services.
Meanwhile, Mere noted that WaterAid is poised to advocate that the climate crisis is a water crisis- too little or too much of it and that WASH represented an opportunity to build resilience of communities to climate change toward the realization of the SDGs.
She stated that the theme of the conference ‘Mainstreaming WASH into Climate Change Actions.’ speaks to the interconnectedness between water, sanitation, hygiene and climate change, and how they play a critical role in sustainable development which also aligns with the focus on 2023-2028 country programme strategy which is to strengthen the resilience of WASH to climate change.
Mere added that WaterAid will explore available opportunities, tools, and technologies for enhancing water governance, facilitate adaptation planning, and bolster community resilience in the face of water security challenges.
Also speaking at the event, Director General – National Council on Climate Change, Dr. Salisu Dahiru stated that water reliability, resilience, and access for all uses, are essential to our national security and sustained economic growth adding that Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) play a critical role in human well-being and sustainable development and its intersection with climate change presents a formidable challenge.
Dahiru explained that as a country that is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and also one of the largest emitters of GHG emissions across Africa, Nigeria has an important leadership role to play in this regard.
He stressed that improved water sanitation and supply is important for increasing Nigeria’s resilience to shocks, whether to the direct impacts of extreme weather events such as flooding or drought or to the longer term economic impacts occuring for shifts in our local climate.
Meanwhile, Dahiru reiterated the Council’s commitment to supporting the implementation of the roadmap and action plan towards addressing the WASH crisis faced by the country but added that to achieve water security for every household, innovation, investment and collaboration is needed, while ensuring services are sustainable and well managed.