Between Politics And Actions In WASH Sector – Akwa Ibom State Experience

By Patrick Titus

According to the United Nations (UN) Survey, 2.1 billion people in the world are living without access to safe water. To address this global water crisis, led to the declaration of World Water Day in 1993 by the UN. The core focus of the action is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030

Yearly, UN’s coordination mechanism on water and sanitation, set the theme for the World Water Day. This year 2026 celebration’s theme is Water and Gender”. It calls for attention to inequality that exists in water issue.

In many communities, including Nigeria and Akwa Ibom State, the problems of access to quality, timely and sufficient water supply is borne more by women and the girls. In Akwa Ibom State, it is currently estimated that over 90% of the population has no access to public water services. This evidence shows that for almost 40 years of existence as a State, Akwa Ibom State is lagging behind in making potable water available to its residents.

Last week Friday, the Commissioner for Water Resources and Sanitation in the State, Dr Ubuo Effiong Ubuo while featuring as a special guest on a radio programme tagged “ARISE Akwa Ibom” on Comfort 95.1 FM in Uyo, with a focus on “Delivering the ARISE Agenda Through Water and Sanitation Reforms.” mentioned the position of the state government at transforming the water sector to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by 2030 global deadline of 2030.

According to Dr Ubou, Akwa Ibom state government is deliberate and intentional about transforming the water sector, which informed the decision of Governor Umo Eno to establish a standalone Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to drive focused policies and reforms.

He noted that the government is actively working towards providing clean and safe water to communities across all wards in the state, emphasizing that the initiative is aimed at improving public health, sanitation, and overall quality of life for residents.

The Commissioner further revealed that Governor Umo Eno-led administration is the first in the state to embark on the provision of water facilities across all 369 wards, describing the move as a landmark effort to ensure equitable access to potable water.

He explained that prior to the current initiative, the state government had implemented water schemes across the state on the basis of one project per Federal Constituency. He added that plans are underway to commence a second phase of the programme to cover constituencies that were not captured in the initial rollout.

He also hinted that a technical committee comprising inter-ministerial and direct labour teams, GIFA, AK-RUWATSAN, and the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has been constituted to drive the process. The committee, he said, is working in collaboration with Personal Assistants to the Governor across the wards, as well as Chairmen of Local Government Councils, to ensure proper synergy.

According to him, the committee has been tasked with identifying areas in dire need of potable water within their respective wards, as well as ensuring a smooth takeoff and successful completion of the projects.

He added that the initiative, which includes the deployment of solar-powered water systems, is designed to guarantee sustainability, efficiency, and long-term service delivery, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

The Commissioner further stated that upon completion of the projects, benefiting communities will be required to establish Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Committees (WASHCOMs) to serve as watchdogs for the proper maintenance and protection of the facilities within their domains. He stressed that stakeholders in every ward must take ownership of the projects to guarantee sustainability.

On the sanitation component, Hon. Ubuo disclosed that the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation is responsible for fecal hygiene management in the state. He added that the State Executive Council has approved the construction of pilot sanitation projects in Obot Akara, Ikono, Esit Eket and Nsit Ubium Local Government Areas as part of efforts to accelerate the declaration of Open Defecation Free (ODF) status across the state. He noted that currently, only Nsit Atai Local Government Area has been declared ODF.

With this ODF status where only one (1) Local Government Area (Nsit Atai) out of thirty one (31) has attained ODF status. This figure represents a paltry 3.2% achievement attainment whereas other States have attained 100%;

Prof Gabriel Umoh, Director/Chief Executive Officer of African Human Development Centre (AHDC), while commenting on this year 2026 Celebration of World Water Day, expressed concern why Akwa Ibom that has existed for almost 40 years as a State is lagging behind in making potable water available to its residents.

Umoh, a Professor of Agriculture and Development Economics noted the snail speed to achieve equitable access to potable water for the current statistics of over 90% of the population that has no access to public water services as most worrisome.

This, Prof Umoh added is in spite of establishment of a full-fledged Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, and availability of required policy documents and frameworks to guide efficient and effective water services.

A check on the extent of implementation of the Water Resources Regulation and Management Law 2022, WASH Policy, and M& E Framework, among other related documents, reveals that they are yet to be implemented in the State, over three years since the approval. Critical to effective water supply is the setting up of Water Council, WASH Department in each Local Government Council, and WASHCOMs in the communities that the state is just setting up now, when the 2030 global deadline for attainment of ODF status is just four years away.

According to Prof Umoh, “the reasons for non implementation of the Water Law and WASH policy by the State years after they were made is difficult to decipher.”

Prof Umoh posited, saying,”Given the importance of Water to the well being of people of the State as well as development of important sectors of the State’s economy such as agriculture, education, health, etc, the state government should, without further delay, implement the law and policy, and provide the necessary funding to the sector. The Akwa Ibom Water Company Ltd should be liquidated without further delay and in its place should be constituted the Akwa Ibom Water Corporation as provided for in the State Water Law.

“The year 2026 World Water Day should be a day for deep reflection on the state of the State’s Water Sector with a view to taking immediate steps to reposition it to deliver quality and value to the people, and reduce the burden associated with lack of water supply on our women and girls, as well as the indirect adverse impacts they have on men and society as a whole.”

AHDC is anon-governmental, non-profit research and development organization based in Nigeria, dedicated to the development of African human resources and community development. Facts reveal that AHDC worked hard relevant MDAs in the state
in collaboration with foreign partners- USAID that provided funding to develop the State WASH Policy, WASH Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, and Open Defecation-free Roadmap and other related documents.

AHDC’s inputs in the enactment of the State Water Resources Regulation and Management Law 2022, cannot be overemphasized.

It would be recalled that during the 2025 World Toilet Day celebration, the AHDC in collaboration with Akwa Ibom WASH (Water supply, Sanitation & Hygiene) Media Committee with support from Akwa Ibom Water Company Ltd., organised a one-day roundtable discussion on the topic: “Sanitation As Our Collective Responsibility”

The event which brought together over 30 participants drawn from the civil society community, academia and Akwa Ibom State Ministries, Departments and Agencies, featured presentations on: (i) Delivering WASH in an Era of Dwindling Donor Supports”, and “Making Our Words Count: Searchlight on the Implementation of Akwa Ibom State Water Sector Law and Ancillary Policy Documents and Frameworks”.

The discussants noted as disturbing that 3 years after signing the Akwa Ibom Water Sector Management and Regulation Bill into Law in 2022, key Committees expected to make for effective and efficient WASH activities provided for in the Law were yet to be set up by government, namely: State Water Council; Water Regulation Council Etc.

It was also observed that Akwa Ibom has failed to meet the 2025 deadline for the attainment of Open defecation-free status, as envisaged in the Presidential/Executive Order 009 of 2019 which committed Nigeria to be Open Defecation-free by 2025.

Communique raised, called on the state government to take immediate steps to get the Water supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector of the State to operate at full capacity in order to assist the State’s development efforts.

Launching the approved State WASH Policy, WASH M & E framework, and Open Defecation-free Roadmap without further delay; Converting Akwa Ibom Water Company Limited to Akwa Ibom Water Corporation as provided for in the State Water Sector Law (2022); Establishing, without further delay, the State Water Council, and Water Regulatory Committee; Directing the Local Government Councils to establish WASH Departments in their respective LGA and Providing adequate funds to the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, and related agencies through adequate fund allocation and timely releases.

Others include, Putting in place sustainable funding model for the WASH sector; Bring all Environmental health personnel under one Ministry for effective coordination; Properly decommission all unused waste dumps; Produce and publicize Waste Dump Maps for the State so that people will know where to dump their wastes; Provide inclusive WASH facilities in schools, parks and other public places and undertaking of grassroot sensitization on Open Defecation-free Roadmap and; Water Sector Management and Regulation Law (Water Law)..