‘Lack of water, poor sanitation in schools hindering girl-child education’

The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) has expressed concern about the impact of inadequate Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in many government schools on girl-child education.

Engineer Adebisi Osim, the President of APWEN, said water scarcity contributes to low school enrolment rates, particularly among girls.

 She spoke at a programme to commemorate the 2024 World Water Day, organised by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (SSAPCE) in partnership with APWEN.

 Represented by an APWEN Board of Trustee (BoT) member, Engineer Ramatu Abarshi, she said the programme with the theme, ‘Leveraging Water for Peace’, is aimed at reminding stakeholders of the critical role water plays in fostering harmony, stability, and prosperity in communities and beyond.

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 She said, “Scarcity of water especially from February to April is usually severe in several parts of the country, particularly the north as only 30 per cent of the population has access to safe drinking water. Daily, one is greeted with the image of people, especially women carrying buckets to look for water. This contributes to a high prevalence of waterborne diseases, threatens the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, and contributes to low levels of school enrollment, especially among girls.”

 She then called on the government and stakeholders to unite towards the common goal of securing water for peace.

 Ibrahim Hamza, Commissioner for Public Works and Infrastructure in Kaduna State, said the state is revising its Water and Sanitation Master/Investment Plan to utilize water as a tool for peace, ensuring access to clean water and sanitation facilities. 

Engineer Abubakar Sani, a keynote speaker and lecturer from the Department of Civil Engineering at Kaduna Polytechnic, emphasised the need to minimise damage to water resources caused by armed conflicts.