WaterAid, an international non-governmental organization, has called for partnership with media organizations in Bauchi State in tackling the challenges bedeviling the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector in the state.

Mrs Wandoo Akosu, Bauchi State Programme Lead of WaterAid, made the call when she led a delegation from WaterAid, WASH Media Network and some Civil Society Organisations, on a courtesy call to the Bauchi Zonal Office of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.

She said 65 per cent of the population of the state had no access to sanitation, just as only slightly over half of the population had access to potable water, adding that most of those who had no access to these services were in the rural areas.

“To this end, WaterAid is currently implementing the Strengthening Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Delivery Systems (SWADS) project, aimed at fortifying the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector, to deliver equitable and sustainable access to WASH services to rural communities,” she said.

Akosu also said that citizens of the state were being empowered to demand their rights and hold government accountable for the provision of sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services.

She said that in order to record success, WaterAid had extended a “hand of collaboration and request for support” to media organizations in championing the need to prioritise access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in the state, and the nation at large.

Also in his remarks, Coordinator of WASH Media Network, FCT chapter, Mr Wale Elekolusi, who represented the National Chairman of the Network, said the Network was working closely with stakeholders to set up clusters that would allow for synergy in addressing the challenges in the WASH sector, especially in the rural areas.

He said that the Network had initiated a platform whereby political actors could be held accountable for the fulfillment of campaign promises that bordered on the WASH sector.

Responding, the Zonal Manager of NAN Bauchi, Malam Abdullahi Salihu, promised that the staff of NAN in Bauchi had been assisting in publicizing the activities of WaterAid and WASH Media Network in the state.

He called for emphasis in the coverage of the activities in rural areas, with a view to highlighting the challenges of the rural populace. (NAN)