Water and Sanitation Minister, Meets UNICEF Country Rep, Commit to a Stronger Collaboration on Key Priority Areas.
By Raymond Enoch.
In a bold reaffirmation of Nigeria’s commitment to clean water and sanitation, the Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, today welcomed the new UNICEF Country Representative, Ms. Wafaa Saeed, to his Abuja office—pledging stronger collaboration in the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector.
In what officials described as a “strategic engagement for sustainable impact,” Minister Utsev hailed UNICEF as a vital partner in delivering the Ministry’s mandate, aligning efforts with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“UNICEF has remained a reliable partner in our collective drive to provide access to safe water, improve sanitation, and promote hygiene for all Nigerians,” the Minister said.
Utsev emphasized that the Ministry would compile and share a comprehensive report on achievements across dams, irrigation, water quality, and WASH initiatives to identify new areas of collaboration with UNICEF.
UNICEF’s Country Representative, Ms. Wafaa Saeed, commended the Ministry’s efforts and stressed the critical role of clean water not just in health, but in education, energy, and economic growth.
“We see water not only as a basic need, but as a lifeline that connects to the Sustainable Development Goals,” Saeed noted, citing opportunities in hydropower and irrigation to boost revenue and national resilience.
Permanent Secretary Mr. Richard Pheelangwah reaffirmed the Ministry’s openness to deeper collaboration, while key directors — including Mrs. Elizabeth Ugoh (Water Quality Control and Sanitation), Engr. Esther Oyeronke Oluniyi (Irrigation and Drainage), and Engr. Adeyinka Adenopo (Water Resources Planning) — echoed the call for intensified cooperation, particularly in improving water quality for agricultural irrigation.
The meeting concluded with mutual commitments to scale up joint efforts, particularly in rural communities where access to clean water and sanitation remains a pressing concern.
With UNICEF’s technical backing and the Ministry’s on-ground reach, the future of Nigeria’s water sector is poised for a transformative leap—one drop at a time.
