New members of the National Water Resources Capacity Building Network, South-East, have been inaugurated at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, with a charge on members to develop regular programmes and build capacity for the achievement of set goals.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Charles Esimone, performed the ceremony with relevant stakeholders from Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo States in attendance.

Inaugurating the new members of the National Water Resources Capacity Building Network, South-East, under the auspices of the National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna, the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Professor Esimone, who described water as life, called for committed actions, vision, zeal and selfless services of members in driving such laudable endeavors.

Professor Esimone tasked members of the center to use same as source of revenue for the institution, thanking the Director for laudable programmes outlined for the success of the center, which will in turn, benefit member States. UPSOT

Director of National Water Resources Capacity Building Network, South-East Center, Dr. Emma Ezenwaji, in his address, explained that Nigeria has severe limited access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, which adversely affects individual’s health, limits people’s access to education and economic opportunities, hampers work efficiency and labour productivity.

Dr. Ezenwaji listed benefits accruable to member States from the center to include, using knowledge to improve Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector performance, drawing attention of research institutions abroad to the needs of States in the sector as well as benefitting from the private sector investors. UPSOT

Some participants at a one-day meeting that followed the inauguration, including Mr Leo Ogbonna from Abia State Water and Sewage Corporation, Mr. Silas Eze, Permanent Secretary, Ebonyi State Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs Nnenna Nwaugo from Imo State Ministry of Public Utilities and Water Resources, and Dr. Rose Amasiani from Anambra State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, RUWASSA, called for collaboration in achieving comprehensive water supply and sanitation for the masses, describing the day’s meeting as a way forward.

Contributing, a Media Consultant and member of the Committee, Mr. Don Onyenji, who described water and sanitation as societal issues, called on the media to join efforts in driving the objectives of the center to the grassroot, thanking the ABS for using its access to the global community to support related programmes.