The Arewa Young Leaders Forum (AYLF) has thrown its weight behind President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, in their quest to provide clean water and sanitation to all Nigerians.
In a statement signed by its President, Alhaji Mohammed Sanusi, the group said the initiatives and innovations introduced by the Minister have had a profound impact on the lives of citizens, especially in the northern region.
As soon as he was appointed, the group said Utsev immediately set out to develop surface and groundwater resources for socio-economic development to ensure that the President succeeds in making water accessible for citizens and ensuring food security.
Specifically, the group lauded the Minister’s efforts in the North, which has long been regarded as backwards in this area. “Luckily, Utsev’s emergence has changed the narrative,” Sanusi said.
“We are pleased to express our unwavering support for President Tinubu and Minister Utsev’s initiative to tackle the long-standing issue of inadequate access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in our country.
“The Minister’s ‘Clean Nigeria; Use the Toilet campaign’ has been hailed as a laudable initiative that aligns with the international best practice of promoting the well-being and development of young people in the northern region.”
Sanusi noted that the statistics are alarming, with millions of Nigerians lacking proper access to clean water, resulting in the loss of billions of naira in GDP and widespread waterborne diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, and typhoid.
However, he expressed optimism that the government’s concrete steps towards achieving total Open Defecation Free status by 2025 will make a significant difference in the lives of citizens, especially in the northern region where access to clean water is scarce.
“Minister Utsev’s prioritization of surface and groundwater resources development, nationwide tour of river basins, and scaling up of campaigns against open defecation are yielding dividends,” he added.
“The construction of modern water treatment plants, rehabilitation of existing ones, and extension of piped water networks to rural areas are some of the impressive initiatives introduced by the Ministry.
“We urge all Nigerians to support this campaign and embrace the use of toilets and clean water facilities. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of our people and contribute to the development of our great nation.”