Cholera: Group tasks Enugu Govt. on safe water, hygiene services

The Network of Water Rights Initiative (NEWARI), an NGO, has urged the Enugu State Government to ensure that the water being consumed by residents of the state is safe.The Enugu Coordinator, Amb. Amaka Nweke, who made the call on Monday in Enugu, said that such step would avert the outbreak of cholera in the state.Nweke said that the organisation was committed towards promoting access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services across Nigeria.'The network urges the Enugu State Government to adopt proactive measures to ensure that the water consumed by its residents is safe,' she said.It would be recalled that, Prof. Emmanuel Obi, the Enugu State Commissioner for Health, recently declared that the state had not recorded any confirmed case of cholera.The NEWARI official said that the state government should deploy systems-change-approach to address the root cause of waterborne diseases.She urged the government to monitor the quality of water being delivered by water tankers to households in the s tate.'These suppliers are the primary sources of water for many households in the state. There is need to adopt household water treatment schemes such as filtration, boiling, and disinfection.'This will be a critical step to prevent an outbreak and spread of cholera and other waterborne diseases in the state.'It is important to effectively regulate the operations of water tankers to ensure that they provide safe and potable water,' she said.Nweke further suggested regular water quality testing, monitoring and citizen education on the dangers of unsafe water.'Our message is that the government can protect its residents from the scourge of cholera and other waterborne diseases by simply prioritising water quality and water services delivery.'As an organisation, we appreciate the government's effort so far in water and sanitation issues, we cannot afford to be complacent at this time, we must remain resilient,' she said.Source: News Agency of Nigeria