Following the water scarcity in the country about sixty million Nigerians are currently lacking access to improved water resources with over 100 million are without basic sanitation .
The volunteers group Mr Jankur -CBD NGO forum and Vou Shom PC CBD -NG stated that 57.40% of the country population lack access to clean water and this remains a great challenge .
Speaking in their separate views ,Mrs Vou Shom in a media parley sought citizens voice in prioritizing WASH in the 2015 general election in Nigeria at Crudan conference Hall, Jos
She said ,” access to safe and affordable water is considered to be a basic human right ,yet the universal reality does not reflect this principle.
Shom lamented that a lack of adequate capacity and financing and national policies which often rely on the unsustainable use of water resources ,prevent effective and sustainable provision of safe and sanitation.
According to her, WaterAid Nigeria in collaboration with her CSO partners at the national and state level plans to implement a citizen’s engagement project in Nigeria “VOTE4WASH”campaign to mobilize citizens to demand for the change they desire with their votes.
She noted that the campaign shall focus on advocacy and campaigning for personal hygiene ,sanitation and health to various levels of stakeholders on the renew vigor.
Jankur called for the support of the students union body and politicians with other youth group to engage using political platforms,community based forums and social linkages that can promote social and economic accountability.
He added that citizens are empowered through information and facilitation of space to participate in the electoral process
The media network Esther Bitrus said CSO partners will hold meetings with major political parties in the state towards influencing political party priorities to include WASH service delivery by online petition campaign built to commence soon.
According to Bitrus,representatives of community members to WANG and partners will organize and demand commitments to WASH service ,we pledge cards will be shared with the community to encourage them.
She reiterated that media and roundtable discussion will engage Television,Radio to initiate especially community-based stations and show their support for water and sanitation key into the post elections problem.
