GOMBE BOOSTS WASH DRIVE AS RUWASSA ADOPTS THREE KEY PLANS

The Gombe State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector as part of efforts to promote the general well-being of citizens across the state.

The Honourable Commissioner for Water Resources, Engr. Bala Adams, gave the assurance at the closing session of a two-day training workshop organized by the Gombe State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) for the validation, operationalization and institutionalization of three key plans developed under the NG-SURWASH Programme to strengthen human capital development.

The Commissioner, who is also a WASH specialist, described his interaction with WASH stakeholders as a family meeting and encouraged participants to make effective use of the knowledge gained during the training towards achieving the desired objectives. He commended RUWASSA for the timely development of the plans, noting that the documents would serve as important policy and reference documents for guiding the Agency's activities.

Earlier, the General Manager of RUWASSA, Engr. Mohammed Gibrimu Ahmed, FNSE, FNICE, welcomed the Honourable Commissioner and appreciated him for gracing the occasion with his presence. He emphasized the need for continued collaboration between the Ministry of Water Resources, RUWASSA and other WASH implementing agencies to ensure the smooth and effective implementation of the NG-SURWASH Programme in Gombe State.

The General Manager also commended the participants for their commitment and active participation throughout the training sessions.

Similarly, the NG-SURWASH Gombe State Programme Coordinator, Engr. Usman Abubakar Aliyu, encouraged participants and other stakeholders to carefully study the three plans and extend the knowledge gained to their colleagues who were unable to attend the training.

The operationalization and institutionalization of the three plans followed their validation and adoption by RUWASSA staff, LGA WASH Coordinators and Monitoring and Evaluation Officers from Akko, Balanga, Dukku, Kwami, Kaltungo, Shongom, Nafada and Yamaltu/Deba LGAs, as well as WASHCOM representatives serving as community-based stakeholders.

The three key plans developed by RUWASSA under the NG-SURWASH Programme are the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Human Resource Management Plan, and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Strategy. The plans were presented by experienced resource persons, including Associate Professor Adamu Jibir, Dr. Abubakar Umar Yuguda, Dr. Lukman Shiji Sadiq and Dr. Abdu Musa.

Sharing his success story, the WASHCOM Chairman of Tudun Magaji Community in Dukku LGA, Alhaji Haruna Lawan, commended RUWASSA and the NG-SURWASH Programme for organizing the training, which he said had helped to refresh and strengthen their knowledge and capacity.

According to him, he has personally benefited from similar capacity-building programmes. He recalled that when they initially began their journey towards improving WASH services in their community, some people considered the effort a waste of time and resources. However, they remained committed to their objectives, and today, their achievements have become a source of pride and admiration within the community.

Alhaji Haruna further stated that serving his community in this capacity gives him great satisfaction. He encouraged his colleagues from other communities to establish and strengthen WASHCOMs, while emphasizing the importance of gender inclusion, noting that women have continued to demonstrate strong leadership and commitment to community development.

A major highlight of the event was the interactive session between the Honourable Commissioner for Water Resources and WASH stakeholders, which provided an opportunity for discussions, experience-sharing and renewed commitment towards strengthening the WASH sector in Gombe State.

Abubakar Mohammed Tukur, information officer(I.O)