Plans are in the offing for the establishment of Bauchi State Water Regulatory Commission to make the Water Sanitation and Hygiene WASH sector in the state to be more result oriented.
When established the commission will ensure that water supply and wastewater management services are properly carried out in the State.
The Lagos State WaterAid Nigeria Head of Programme, Mr Adebayo Alawo made this known during a three day critical stakeholders workshop, in Bauchi state.
Mr. Alawo said the aim of the training was to work out modalities for the establishment of the commission.
Mr Alawo said that the horizon of the participants have been strengthened towards the development of a work plan for the state water service and regulatory unit in the ministry of water resources.
“The commission when established will ensure operators in the sector secure reasonable return on investment to finance the proper delivery of these services and promote sustainability” he noted.
He said already a seven member committee has been selected with membership drawn from relevant ministries, departments and agencies to fast track the process of the establishment of the Commission.
According to him term of reference for the committee is to finalize work plan for the creation of the water regulatory unit and facilitate the implementation of the establishment of the regulatory commission.
“Some of functions of the commission when put in place will check water borne diseases associated with such shoddily drilled boreholes and the attendant implication on the State’s finances by sanitizing the State water and waste water sector” Mr Alawo stated.
The Facilitator said other functions of the Commission is to prevent all forms of indiscriminate pollution of water bodies and discharge of untreated waste, among others as all these have long term effects on water and the environment.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Bauchi state Ministry of Water Resources, Muhammad Tela Samaila explained that the idea to organize the workshop was born out of the urban water sector reform where a regulatory body is required to meditate between service providers and consumers.
“It will also protect the long term interests of consumers with regards to price, quality and reliability of service in the water supply and sanitation sector of the State” The Permanent Secretary added.
Samaila said stakeholders would work out ways to transform the Regulatory Unit to Directorate before becoming a Commission to pursue its objectives with vigour.
“I am assuring you that commission when established with the right machinery in place, we will achieve a steady progress. More so, with the right strategies and publicity put in place, the State Water Regulatory Commission will become a force to reckoned with in the environment sector” he stressed
