In a significant move to bridge the gender gap through infrastructure, the Cross River State Government has commissioned several solar-powered borehole projects across Calabar South. The initiative, timed to coincide with World Water Day 2026, underscores the state’s commitment to the theme: “Water and Gender – Where Water Flows, Equality Grows.”
Representing Governor Bassey Edet Otu at the flagship ceremony held at Edgerly Memorial Girls Secondary School on Friday, Bong Duke, Vice Chairman and CEO of the State Planning Commission, reaffirmed the administration’s resolve to provide inclusive and sustainable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services.
He highlighted that water scarcity disproportionately affects women and girls, who often shoulder the burden of trekking long distances to fetch water. Duke noted that access to safe water is not merely an infrastructure goal but a “critical driver of dignity, health, education, and economic opportunity.”
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“Water is not only a source but a catalyst of growth,” he stated, adding that the government is determined to eliminate the health and safety risks faced by girls due to inadequate sanitation and limited menstrual hygiene support.
The highlights of the commemoration included the commissioning of key solar-powered projects designed for environmental sustainability and reliability. These include solarization of existing boreholes at Edgerly Memorial Girls Secondary School and Government Girls Secondary School, Big Qua.
A new solar-powered borehole system featuring an overhead tank and reticulation network at Academy Primary School, Mayne Avenue.
These projects were executed by the Ministry of Water Resources in collaboration with the Borehole Drillers Association of Nigeria (BODAN). The Commissioner for Water Resources, Barrister Bassey Offiong Mensah, emphasized that these investments in educational institutions – particularly those serving girls – are central to the state’s strategy for public health and gender empowerment.
Earlier in the ceremony, Dr. Okon Ita, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, provided a sobering background on the “grim picture” of the physical and academic stress the girl-child endures to provide water for her household.
The event featured technical presentations to educate the public on these links. Mrs. Julie Jumide of Females in WASH (FERinWASH) spoke on “Water and Gender,” while Mrs. Alice Egbara, Head of Food and Nutrition at RUWATSSA, delivered a session on how water access facilitates safe menstrual hygiene practices.
In a gesture of appreciation for community-level support, a Certificate of Recognition was presented to His Highness Louis Mesembe Asikpo of LIZMA Table Water for his contributions to potable water access.
The event ended with a call for further multi-sector partnerships, and stakeholders to collaborate with the state to drastically improve WASH service delivery across Cross River.
