The Cross River State Government has officially launched four strategic policy documents aimed at drastically improving public health, environmental sustainability, and access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services across the state.
The documents, which were unveiled on Tuesday at the Metropolitan Hotel in Calabar, include the Open Defecation Roadmap, the WASH Finance Strategy for Small Towns and Rural Communities, the Open Defecation Prohibition Law, and the WASH Strategic and Investment Plan for Yala Local Government Area.
Speaking at the launch, the state Governor, Prince Bassey Edet Otu, emphasized that these newly introduced reforms are central to his administration’s commitment to improving the living standards of citizens in both urban centers and rural communities.
READ ALSO: ASERC Issues Binding Order Mandating Full Metering of Every Electricity Customer In Anambra
The Governor, who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh, assured residents that the state would move swiftly past the ceremonial launch phase into aggressive grassroots sensitization and strict implementation.
“Open defecation is actually a problem, not in the urban areas, but in the rural areas. To some people, it is a matter of culture and to some, a way of life. But we believe that with education, people will understand the dangers,” the Governor stated.
He further noted that the state government plans to collaborate extensively with local government councils, traditional rulers, and community leaders to guarantee the effective implementation of the new laws and frameworks.
Echoing the Governor’s sentiments, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Barr. Bassey Offiong Mensah, described the initiative as a major milestone for inclusive development in Cross River. He noted that open defecation remains a critical public health issue that drives disease outbreaks and environmental contamination.
“The future we seek is a Cross River State where every home has access to safe water, every community enjoys decent sanitation, every school has functional hygiene facilities and every citizen lives with dignity and good health,” Mensah said.
The Commissioner explained that the WASH Finance Strategy outlines innovative approaches to mobilize resources and boost investments in underserved rural areas, adding that sustainable access to these basic amenities relies heavily on strong partnerships. He also revealed that the Yala WASH Strategic and Investment Plan is designed to serve as a blueprint for targeted, community-based interventions across other local government areas in the state.
International development partners also lauded the state’s proactive approach. Joy Aderele, the Country Director of Self Help Africa, speaking through her representative, Elisha Maida, commended the state government for its robust stakeholder engagement.
Aderele highlighted that the policy documents were the product of extensive consultations involving government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, private sector actors, and community representatives. This collaborative approach, she noted, will ultimately strengthen accountability, sustainability, and shared ownership in the delivery of WASH services across the state.
The event was attended by different clusters of WASH implementing partners, including NEWSAN.
