…says water can foster peace
From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said water challenge in the country’s northeast states affected by insurgency exacerbate the already difficult humanitarian situation in the area.
UNICEF Chief of Borno Field Office, Phuong Nguyen said this in her address at the commemoration of the 2024 World Water Day in Maiduguri, the state capital.
“In northeast Nigeria, access to clean water has been a great challenge for many communities, exacerbating our already difficult circumstances,” Nguyen declared, urging children to be champions of water for peace being the theme of this year commemoration.
She said access to drinking water is a human right, adding that denying citizens such right could lead to conflict. She noted that whatever tries to come between humans and water is a recipe for conflict.
She said UNICEF provided safer water access to about 400,000 people in 2023 in northeast.
She urged people to reaffirm their commitment to building a future where every children has access to clean water.
General Manager, Borno State Rural Water Supply Agency (RUWASA), Dr Mohammed Aliyu represented by a director, said Borno water tables is becoming low due to climate change.
He asked the development partners to find answer to how education and awareness can help in protecting water resource and conservation in the state.
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Highlights of the event include poetic presentations on water for peace by secondary school students.