By Peter Okolie
The Imo Government has commenced process to establish dedicated Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) departments across its 27 Local Government Areas to sustain water infrastructure.
The Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Obinna Ogwuegbu, disclosed this on Tuesday in Owerri at a two-day stakeholders workshop to verify and validate the proposed Scheme of Service for WASH officers.
Ogwuegbu said the initiative was aimed at creating an institutional framework to protect and maintain massive state government investments, including the turnaround of Otamiri Water Works and rural solar-powered projects.
“Infrastructure alone cannot deliver sustainable services; boreholes and water schemes will only remain functional when there are competent people and accountable institutions to manage them,” Ogwuegbu said.
He said that WASH responsibilities were previously fragmented across various units, lacking a clear professional career structure required for modern service delivery at the grassroots level.
The commissioner emphasised that the local government, being closest to the communities, must possess the technical capacity to plan, operate, and monitor water and sanitation facilities effectively.
“This exercise is not simply about creating another department; it is about putting in place the institutional foundation required to sustain investments in the WASH sector,” he said.
Ogwuegbu commended the state Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma for his political commitment to transforming the sector, adding that the validated recommendations would be submitted to the governor for final approval.
He urged participants to develop a practical, financially sustainable framework that addresses the actual staffing, career progression, and operational needs of the councils.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Chioma Egu, emphasised that safe water, sanitation, and hygiene remained essential pillars for effective healthcare delivery, disease prevention, and maternal and child healthcare.
Egu noted that establishing a robust local government WASH system would help reduce preventable illnesses such as cholera, diarrhea, typhoid, and neglected tropical diseases across rural communities.
“A strong LGA WASH system supports a healthier population and a more effective health system while advancing the Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.
She reaffirmed her ministry’s commitment to community hygiene.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Chief Obilor Izuwa, explained that operating WASH services through ad hoc committees and informal units had previously hindered effective service delivery.
Izuwa recalled that following the 2014 state of emergency declaration in the national WASH sector, states such as Katsina, Ogun, Cross River, and Enugu successfully upgraded their units into full departments.
He said the validation exercise and creation of standalone departments in the state would accelerate grassroots progress and align local administration with national best practices.
Other speakers, including the Local Government Service Commission Chairman, Dr Ebere Obinatu, and the House of Assembly WASH Committee Chairman, Mr Princewill Amuchie, pledged their full support for the reform. (NAN) www.nannews.ng
Edited by Francis Onyeukwu
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