By: Sani Bala Karo
KANO, North-West, Nigeria The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation is an initiative focused on response to rural water supply and sanitation crisis
About eight out of 10 persons experience poor access to safe water and sanitation in Africa and most of these live in rural areas.
This calls for support to rural water and sanitation projects and programmes with funding for investment operations, strengthening sector processes and systems, as well as through advocacy and knowledge building.
In it’s efforts to deliver on its mandate, the Kano State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), has demonstrated high commitment under the leadership of Malam Shamwilu Isah.
On assumption of office, Malam Shamwilu Isa started with all the Agency programmes he met on ground or ongoing particularly in water, sanitation and hygiene, also known as WASH which is the specialized operational line of the agency with support from the United Nations.
First, he set up a mechanism of supporting the 8 validated Local Governments declared open defecation free for sustainability.
RUWASSA also embarked on training of 24 WASH officials on community WASH facilities management model within the 8 validated Local Governments,
In efforts to build the capacity of its personnel for better job delivery, it organized a workshop to develop Kano State WASH Framework on Measurement and Evaluation.
In the area of water supply, he initiated an Engagement Strategy, meeting local artisans in charge of local water facilities in rural areas, formally known as Village Level Operation and Maintenance, VLOM.
RUWASSA trained 18 Local Area Mechanics and Water Supply Officers on repairs of water facilities in 7 local governments and organized a workshop to review the quality of State rural water and develop a Surveillance and Implementation strategy.
Determined to go further, Malam Shamwilu initiated and executed a number of water supply projects in various communities and institutions where portable water was seriously needed. These include the construction of 8000 litres solar borehole at Babawa General Hospital. In addition to this, the agency also repaired 8 handpumps boreholes in the community.
It also constructed a 12,000 litres solar powered borehole and reticulation of 500 metres at Kano State School of Health Technology and constructed 4 handpump boreholes for Sitti communities in Sumaila Local Government.
The leadership of Malam Shamwilu did not stop there as it went further to rehabilitate many non – functional boreholes at Hasiya Bayero Paediatric Hospital overhead tank and handpump borehole; Ministry of Information water facilities at Audu Bako Secretariat; Office of the Head Civil Service facilities at Audu Bako Secretariat; Rehabilitation and upgrade of motorized solar powered borehole at Hugungumai village in Tsanyawa Local Government.
Another impressive achievement of Malam Shamwilu and Kano State RUWASSA of course, was the validation of 11 Local Governments as open defecation free, making the number of validated Local Governments 19 to date.
This feat deserves a special mention, because from my limited knowledge and experience in this field, making one locality free of open defecation is not easy in view of the processes and steps required to achieve it. But today we are talking of delivery of 11 Local Governments in just 10 months which is a big plus for Kano State. Kudos must therefore be given to the Managing Director, Agency management and the entire staff for such a wonderful job.
Commenting on this development also, a retired staff of the agency told this writer that before the coming of Malam Shamwilu Kano State RUWASSA was like a sleeping giant in the midst of its peers, being among the oldest agencies in the country with similar mandates. “This man, he said, has transformed the place by renovating the office, brought more working equipments and upgrade some, and rehabilitate degraded facilities. That makes everyone happy in the office now.”
But one may ask, what is the secret behind this achievements? My simple clue at unmasking this factor may not be unconnected with his immediate past experience in private sector as a professional Geologist at two different engineering firms namely Fortia Engineering/ Water Engineering and Services (2008-2018), and Geocentric Synergy Engineering (2018-2023) as Managing Director.
In Kano, observers view the paradigm shift in governance as yielding good results in many quarters given the kind of impacts some heads of state parastatals and agencies were making.
The shift could also be a game changer not a doomsday for opponents or other players across the divide since the ultimate goal is to serve the people even differently.
At last, it is clear that Governor Abba Kabir has made the right choice in picking Malam Shamwilu Abdulkadir Isa as the Managing Director of Kano State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA).
