The Oyo State House of Assembly on Thursday at its plenary approved Gov. Seyi Makinde’s request to access N800 million loan facility for the Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the loan is a counterpart fund to attract N 2.97 billion facility from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
The fund is required for the implementation of expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) in 20 local government areas (LGAS) in the state.
The governor, in a letter read on the floor of the House, said:“The Project is aimed at improving water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) situation in the urban, small towns and rural areas in the state “
The 20 LGAs to benefit from the project are: Ibadan SE, Ibadan SW, Ogbomoso, Atisbo, Afijio, Akinyele, Atiba, Iwajowa, Iseyin, Irepo, Ibarapa North, Ibarapa East, Ibadan NE, Kajola, Oyo East, Orelope, Ona Ara, Oluyole, Saki West, and Saki East.
The House Speaker, Mr Adebo Ogundoyin, while presenting the request, stressed the importance of potable water supply to the people, adding that most communities in the state lacked water to drink and use for other purposes.
According to Ogundoyin, if the project is well implemented, residents of the state will be saved from water borne diseases as there will be availability of clean water in the affected areas.
Lawmakers who supported the request agreed that the expanded water supply, sanitation and hygiene Initiative would meet the yearnings of the people in terms of adequate water supply and help in further making lives bearable for the people.
They included Messrs Sanjo Adedoyin (Ogbomoso South), Kehinde Olatunde (Akinyele 11), Gabriel Babatunde (Ibadan North 11), and Saminu (Atisbo/Saki East).
However, other lawmakers, including Messrs Asimiyu Alarape (Atiba), Seyi Adisa (Afijio), Hon Isiaka Tunde(Oyo East/West) and Olawumi Oladeji (Ogbomoso North), stressed the need for the fund to be monitored to ensure it is used for the purpose.
They also urged the House Committee on Water Resources to ensure that RUWASSA used the grant to execute the project to specification so as to tackle scarcity of water in the affected areas.
