Both officials who spoke to journalists separately in Calabar expressed gratitude to Governor Otu for what they described as his passion, wisdom, and fatherly role in addressing the state’s sanitation challenges.
By TheInvestigator
The Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, has approved the release of ₦95 million as counterpart funding for a three-year Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) intervention programme in Obubra Local Government Area.
The approval, which signals the state government’s renewed commitment to tackling recurrent waterborne diseases in rural communities, was announced by the Commissioner for Water Resources, Barrister Mensah Bassey, and confirmed by the General Manager of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Honourable Sunday Oko.
The Commissioner spoke with journalists on the sidelines of a two-day workshop in Calabar to finalise and validate the State Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Policy in collaboration with Self Help Africa (SHA) and supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Commending the governor’s decision, the Commissioner for Water Resources described Otu as a leader with the interest of the people at heart.
“What is good must be commended. I want to commend His Excellency, Prince Bassey Edet Otu. It shows he is indeed the people’s Governor because these are the little things a common man can appreciate. I was worried, but I am delighted,” Bassey said.
On the disbursement timeline, he added, “For His Excellency, once the approval is as good as cash. I know within the next week, the money will hit the accounts. You know hunger that has hope cannot kill somebody.”
On his part, the RUWASSA General Manager, Honourable Sunday Oko, over the phone, explained that the intervention was timely, particularly for cholera-prone areas like Obubra.
“The governor, in his wisdom and magnanimity, approved this on Friday to enable us to move to the field and work in Obubra. Obubra is one of those LGAs with recurrent cholera issues. When you talk of flashpoints for the cholera crisis in Cross River State, it is Obubra and Yala. That is why Self Help Africa (SHA) is handling Yala, while the agency is focusing on Obubra in partnership,” Oko said.
He further disclosed that the ₦95 million approval covers 2025 as the first phase of a three-year programme, with the same amount expected annually up to 2027.
“We are happy, and because the agency has been docile for a long time, I think this activity will teach us to do more and spread to other LGAs. We will make sure all hands are on deck, especially the WASH sector and the State Technical Group on WASH,” he added.
Oko recalled that the last time Cross River secured such intervention funding in the form of counterpart funding was about 10 years ago, describing the current approval as a major milestone in the state’s efforts to improve rural sanitation and reduce waterborne diseases.
Both officials expressed gratitude to Governor Otu for what they described as his passion, wisdom, and fatherly role in addressing the state’s sanitation challenges.