The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, made this known while declaring open a three-day ‘Top Management Retreat’, themed ‘Strategic Planning for Achieving Ministerial Mandate’ in Abuja, Vanguard reports.
Utsev who was represented by the Minister of State, Bello Goronyo, stated that the retreat was meant to create the expected opportunity for experiences to be shared including best practices and lasting solutions based on innovative and creative knowledge sharing that would boost the water sector and services.
He said Nigeria and its citizens are capable of building a future with free access to clean water and sanitation services and also making the environment sustainable for generations to come.
“I believe that through knowledge exchange, and collaboration, we can develop strategies and action plans that will lead to tangible improvements in the sector across the country.
“I am confident that this retreat will not only equip us to meet the challenges of our expanded mandate but will also strengthen our resolve to create positive change in the water resources and sanitation sector.
“Therefore, let us work together to ensure that Nigerians have access to clean water, proper sanitation facilities, and sustainable irrigation practices for a healthier and more prosperous future,” he said.
He assured that there are ongoing initiatives to ensure improved access to potable and clean water and sanitation, dam and irrigation, flood management, and climate change across the country.
He stated, “The Ministry is addressing the factors in accordance with the eight presidential target areas, and that the epoch-making retreat became imperative in order to achieve them.”
He charged the participants to come up with achievable strategies geared towards positioning the Ministry’s policies with its expanded mandate and a shared vision for greater service delivery and impact on Nigerians.
He further charged them to be patriotic by ensuring the Ministry’s Standard Operating Procedures, vision, mission, mandates and functions were put in proper direction with the Tinubu-led administration’s focal areas.
On her part, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Esther Walson-Jack, said that the retreat has become necessary to restrategise and reposition the Ministry for effective service delivery.
Walson-Jack added that the ministry is committed to ensuring sustainable management of the country’s water resources.
She said, “All Nigerians including the public and private sectors are to join hands in addressing the various challenges associated with water supply, irrigation, sanitation, and other related hazards.”
She added that participants should focus on solutions and proactive steps that would bring about collaboration, expertise, knowledge transfer and sharing, innovation, and creativity in the water sector.
She further disclosed that the vision, mission, mandate and structure of the ministry guided the programmes and actions, which had contributed to overall water resources development and management.
Speaking further, she said the retreat would foster collaboration, knowledge sharing and innovative thinking.
“This retreat has become necessary to re-strategise and reposition the ministry to deliver on its expanded mandate following its redesignation.
“We will focus on the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and sanitation’s programmes and other key policies and mandates that shape our work,” she said.
