By JIDAUNA DARING
The General Manager of the Plateau Municipal Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (PLAMWASSA), Jelkyes Dakat, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to collaborating with organisations working to provide safe drinking water to communities across Plateau State.
Dakat, who was represented by the agency’s Planning Officer and Internal Auditor, Amos Madaki, stated this when he received a delegation from the Network of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria on Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) in his office in Jos on Wednesday.
He said the agency had made significant efforts, particularly in rehabilitating some water treatment plants and boreholes across the state.
“Our desire is to achieve or meet up with the global standard practice in the water and sanitation sector. Our doors are open for collaboration at any time. Let us keep pushing and also work together to achieve our set goals in both water and sanitation in the state,” he said.
He also commended Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, for his unwavering support for the agency.
Earlier, the Plateau State Coordinator of NEWSAN, Bitrus Sauta, said the advocacy visit was aimed at seeking and strengthening collaboration with PLAMWASSA to improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) service delivery, particularly in underserved communities and areas where access to reliable water and sanitation services remained a challenge.
Sauta reaffirmed NEWSAN’s commitment to promoting equitable access to safe water, adequate sanitation and improved hygiene services across Plateau State.
“The society recognises the critical role PLAMWASSA plays in advancing municipal water supply and sanitation services,” he said.
He added that the organisation remained committed to constructive engagement with government institutions, development partners, community leaders and other stakeholders to advance sustainable WASH services.
“We also acknowledge that sustainable WASH outcomes require strong institutional leadership, effective coordination, adequate investment, community participation, civil society engagement and transparent accountability mechanisms,” he added.
According to him, NEWSAN’s key advocacy priorities included strengthening collaboration and coordination, expanding access to safe and reliable water supply, promoting improved sanitation and hygiene, strengthening community participation and accountability, promoting sustainable infrastructure management, and improving data, evidence and policy engagement.
He urged PLAMWASSA to partner with NEWSAN in strengthening partnerships and advancing practical, inclusive and sustainable solutions to Plateau State’s WASH challenges.
“We believe that stronger collaboration between the agency and civil society can help ensure that the voices of underserved communities are heard and that WASH interventions respond to their actual needs,” he said.
He further stated: “In the spirit of partnership and shared responsibility, NEWSAN respectfully requests that the agency should establish a regular engagement mechanism with our society and other relevant WASH stakeholders, promoting transparent feedback and complaint response mechanisms that would enable communities to report water supply and sanitation challenges, among others.”