…Says Ministry Targets SDG 11 Through Focus on Water, Sanitation Drive
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has disclosed that the Ministry’s urban renewal and slum upgrading initiatives have impacted over 150 communities with basic amenities in the last two years.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Badamasi Haiba, following a courtesy visit by the Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) to the Minister in Abuja.
Dangiwa said the Ministry is exploring partnership opportunities with NEWSAN to strengthen advocacy for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) across the country, noting that the organisation’s activities align with the Ministry’s urban development objectives.
According to him, the Ministry’s interventions in urban areas include the provision of security, electricity, solar street lighting, drainage systems, roads, water supply, sanitation facilities, as well as micro-stores and other essential infrastructure where necessary.
He emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 on sustainable cities and communities by addressing SDG 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation.
The Minister, however, acknowledged that budgetary limitations currently restrict the Ministry’s reach nationwide. He noted that a significant number of constituency projects handled by the Ministry are focused on water and sanitation, as lawmakers consider them more impactful.
Dangiwa added that the Ministry’s Special Projects Unit has been instrumental in delivering these interventions, contributing to the outreach of over 150 communities within the review period.
He also highlighted the roles of the Urban and Regional Development Department and the Engineering Services Department in executing similar projects through budgetary allocations and technical expertise.
“On a general note, the Ministry has been actively engaged in these interventions over the years, and we will do more once our budgetary allocations improve or we receive additional support from partners,” he said.
The Minister further assured of continued collaboration with NEWSAN, stressing the importance of data sharing and documentation of projects before and after implementation to demonstrate impact.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, also noted that despite funding challenges, the Ministry is already addressing water and sanitation issues. He described the visit as timely, adding that it presents an opportunity to integrate safe toilet facilities in markets and public spaces into ongoing interventions.
Earlier, National Coordinator of NEWSAN, Benson Attah, said the organisation works with civil society and community-based groups to promote access to safe water and sanitation nationwide.
He commended the Ministry’s efforts in housing provision but urged increased focus on WASH initiatives. Attah also recalled the 2018 declaration of a national emergency on water, sanitation, and hygiene, as well as Public Order 009 on the prohibition of open defecation.
He noted that only Jigawa and Katsina States have so far attained open defecation-free status and urged the Ministry to leverage its influence to encourage more states to follow suit.
Attah further proposed the inclusion of water, sanitation, and hygiene provisions in contracts awarded by the Ministry, as part of efforts to improve national outcomes in the sector.
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