RESIDENTS of the Igando-Ikotun, Ikorodu North, and Ojodu Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State are to benefit from the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) improvement project organised by WaterAid Nigeria.
The Country Director of WaterAid, Nigeria, Evelyn Mere said this while delivering a keynote speech at the official unveiling of the WASH improvement project in Lagos on Friday, November 4, 2022.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the project, which is been executed by WaterAid, is in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources. Also, they have the support of the PepsiCo Foundation and the leadership of the LCDAs.
It was noted by the Country Director that the lack of access to safely managed water, sanitation and hygiene services negatively impacts health, adding that it further exposes people to infectious diseases such as diarrhoea.
According to her, 90 per cent of diarrhoea cases were linked to unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene, noting that women and girls were largely affected by the lack of access to these lifesaving services as they expend huge amounts of time and money in search of these services.
Also, Mere, while commending the Lagos State Government and the LCDAs for being receptive and open to the partnership, added that the project would be implemented by setting up community structures to ensure their sustainability due to its importance.
The Human Resources Manager of the PepsiCo Foundation, Mr Gbenga Akinsanya, while speaking, said that the foundation’s net water-positive strategy is to provide water for 100 million people by 2030.
According to Akinsanya, the foundation has helped more than 68 million people have access to safe water through distribution, purification, and conservation programmes.
A cost of one million dollars has been granted by PepsiCo Foundation to execute the WASH Improvement project.
