The Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) has flagged off a project on improved water supply, sanitation and hygiene in 15 selected communities in Kogi State.
The Project Manager, Mr Simon Enejor, told newsmen in Lokoja on Tuesday that the project which will be implemented over a period of 10 months is about increasing citizens participation and inclusive governance in areas of water, sanitation and hygiene.
He said that the project is being implemented with support from the Rome based Catholic Aid For Oversea Development (CAFOD), saying that the objective is to improve the quality and availability water to citizens in the benefitting communities.
According to Enejor, the water component of the project is expected to benefit more than 300,000 persons with Lokoja alone having 196,624 of the beneficiaries.
“The direct beneficiaries of the project are men, women, girls and boys living in the targeted communities . The project will create awareness and advocate for behavourial change on sanitary and hygiene practices in the communities,” he said.
“Open defecation, indiscriminate dumping of refuse and poor waste disposal habit remain serious problems in many parts of the state. This is what JPDC is trying to correct ,” Enejor stated.
He listed the benefitting communities as Egge, Kuroko, Adogo, Idoji, Obangede, Banda, Felele, Kabawa, Sarkin Noma, Adankolo, Idah, Agaliga, Anyigba, Ankpa and Ejule which were selected across 11 local government councils.
“The project intends to to revive and mobilize citizens and communities into participating in decision making processes in Kogi State, “ the Project Manager explained.
