Korede Abdullah 
CROSS RIVER, Nigeria – The Cross River State Government has validated a new Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sustainability framework aimed at achieving universal open defecation-free status and improving access to safe water across the state.
The validation meeting, held on Friday, brought together government officials, development partners and sanitation experts to review and endorse the roadmap for sustainable water supply, sanitation services and waste management systems.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources and Chairman of the State Task Group on WASH, Okon Ita, urges stakeholders to support the initiative.
“We must work together to create a sustainable plan that will position Cross River State as an ODF State,” Ita says.
He reaffirms the commitment of Governor Bassey Otu to revitalising water facilities and strengthening the WASH sector through evidence-based planning and community participation.
Lead facilitator William Ngwakwe commends the government for creating an enabling environment for sanitation reforms, noting that the plan could improve water and hygiene standards statewide.
The State Coordinator of Self Help Africa, Ferdinand Anom, also reiterates the organisation’s support for sustainable WASH implementation and capacity building.
Chairperson of the Yala Local Government WASH Committee, Augustina Okem, says the initiative will help address water-related diseases in rural communities.
Stakeholders unanimously endorse the framework at the end of the two-day meeting, describing it as a major step towards building resilient, community-owned sanitation systems across Cross River State.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Hussaini Ibrahim 
