Writing By Daniel Karlmax , Editing By Godwin Duru
The Kaduna State Water Services Regulatory Commission has reiterated its commitment to improving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in line with its statutory mandate and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Bashir Dogara, made this known during a collaborative meeting with organizations in the WASH sector, including civil society groups, service providers, and relevant government ministries, departments, and agencies in kaduna.
Mr. Dogara explained that the Commission was established to oversee and regulate all WASH activities in the state by licensing both public and private water supply service providers.
These, according to him include the state-owned water corporation, the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, borehole drillers, and packaged water producers, among others.
He further disclosed that, in an effort to effectively deliver on its mandate, the Commission has embarked on an assessment tour of public WASH infrastructure across the state.
“This includes visits to waterworks facilities and a review of regulatory frameworks, as well as the development of guidelines covering various aspects of water supply and sanitation, particularly in rural areas.
“With regulatory tools now in place, the Commission has commenced the licensing of service providers, particularly borehole drillers and packaged water producers” he said.
Mr. Dogara also revealed that the Commission is collaborating with the judiciary to strengthen enforcement.
According to him, the Chief Judge of the state has designated a court to handle cases involving unlicensed operators, with provisions for prosecution and confiscation of equipment.
He added that security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, KASTLEA, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, are working closely with the Commission to ensure effective enforcement through arrests and confiscation of equipment belonging to unlicensed operators.
The Chairman further stated that the Commission has approved tariff reviews twice for the state water corporation.
“You must apply to the Commission for any tariff review. We assess the application, carry out the necessary calculations, and approve the appropriate tariff to be charged to consumers across the state,” he added.
He noted that the Commission’s next major step is to engage packaged water producers to determine appropriate pricing for sachet and bottled water products.
Speaking at the meeting, a participant and WASH practitioner, Mr. Peter Ishaya Kuzaswat, said the collaborative forum, tagged ‘WASH TWG’, aims to strengthen dialogue on water sanitation and hygiene, with the goal of addressing open defecation in the state.
The meeting brought together toilet facility owners, WASH practitioners, civil society organizations, relevant ministries, departments and agencies, as well as members of the media, to foster stronger collaboration in improving water and sanitation services across Kaduna State.
Daniel Karlmax
