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3-day workshop on proper sludge faecal management, disposal opens in Bauchi to promote healthy, hygienic living

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Group photo of participants at the workshop

By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi

A 3-day workshop on Climate-Resilient Faecal Sludge Management Strategy and Operative Guidelines for Bauchi State has commenced.

The workshop is organized by the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) in collaboration with the Bauchi State Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) with support from UNICEF and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

The workshop aims to support the development of Climate-Resilient Faecal Sludge Management Strategy and Operative Guidelines for Bauchi State.

The strategy document will present service delivery approaches and enabling environment changes needed to implement and regulate safe Faecal Sludge Management in both rural and urban areas of Bauchi state.

Declaring the workshop opened, the State Commissioner of Housing and Environment, Rt Hon Danlami Ahmed Kawule thanked UNICEF for the technical support which led to the State to be among the four that recently attended the National Safely Managed Sanitation Workshop (SMS).

He stressed that the selection of Bauchi State has not come to the government as a surprise, especially looking at the enabling environment and excellent leadership provided by the Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed across all sectors of human endeavour.

The Commissioner added that the Ministry of Housing and Environment and BASEPA are appreciative of the Governor’s tireless contributions particularly in supporting all environmental projects and programmes in the State.

Kawule stressed that Fecal sludge management starts from the storage, collection, transport, treatment, and safe end use or disposal of fecal sludge added that collectively, the collection, transport, treatment and end use or reuse of excreta constitute the “value chain” of fecal sludge management.

According to him, “I’m sure you will all agree with me that, that Faecal sludge management has been very poor in most of our States. But the story is now changing in Bauchi State.”

He stated that BASEPA, as a regulating Agency under the Ministry of Environment is doing a good work by formalizing all the key actors along the fecal sludge value chain in the State.

He added that the Agency has comeup with a Draft Guidelines for the Faecal Sludge Management, and organise series of capacity building worshops to faecal sludge manual and mechanised emtiers across the State.

The Commissioner further said, “The Ministry as a policy formulation body, will continue to support BASEPA, RUWASA and all relevant stakeholders in order to achieve the overall goal of FSM which is the protection of public and environmental health.

“Allow me to appeal to all the stakeholders that are here to continue working within their communities, specifically to encourage neighbours, friends, workmates to understand the role they can play in protecting the environment and conservation of natural resources. This should not just be today but our way of life every day,” he stressed.

Kawule concluded saying,”Let me once more appreciate the support we received from various partners. In particular, UNICEF for engaging International Consultant to perfect the Bauchi State Staretgy Development for Faecal Sludge Management Guidelines.

Speaking earlier, the Director-General of BASEPA, Dr Mahmood Bose said that it was the Third time such a workshop was coming up to ensure that all issues around the sludge faecal management were resolved.

He added that in the past, there had been capacity building by UNICEF, WaterAid Nigeria and other partners to ensure that people really become aware of proper sludge faecal management and disposal.

The BASEPA DG explained that it is a multisectoral approach to ensure that no relevant agency was left out in the formulation of the guidelines in order to achieve the set objectives.

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