Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has launched the Abia Integrated Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Accelerated Programme (IWAP), Also commissioned, is a 150 kVA solar power and 430 kWh battery storage for the Abia State Specialist and Diagnostic Center, a project designed to power health facilities in the State with solar power, while reducing reliance on grid electricity.

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Speaking at the launch of the Abia Integrated WASH Accelerated Programm at Okigwe Park , where the pilot project is located, Governor Alex Otti disclosed that there are other nine locations of the project that are ongoing, adding that, after that, few more would be done too.

 

Governor Otti, who described the project as great one, noted that government cannot be campaigning for sanitation and forbidding open defecation without providing better alternative.

 

“This is a great project because you cannot talk about sanitation, you cannot forbid open defecation, if you don’t provide where people can use.

 

“This is significant, not because we have not seen this kind before, but because of what we are trying to achieve. 

 

“A few things are integrated. The most important is sanitation, but then, there is also reliable and renewable power and of course there is water. So, all are integrated here and it is my pleasure therefore to commission the AIWAP project,” Gov. Otti stated. 

 

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Engr. Ikechukwu Monday said that the facilities are being built across the State, starting with ten.

 

He said that the projects are built in strategic locations in the State with that of Okigwe Park Umuahia taken as the pilot. He added that the facility is user friendly. 

 

“This programme (Abia Integrated WASH Accelerated Programme) is very critical and fundamental in defining how the WASH sector goes. 

 

“One uniqueness of this programme is that we are also integrating solar energy. So, this facility is 100% powered with solar energy. 

 

“So, we have 3 toilets for male and female each and 1 washroom for male and 1 washroom for female. Also, we extended the water supply, so that people around this environment can come here and fetch water. 

 

“So, the water supply is with solar energy. We also have the rig which you can see over there, which was procured last year for drilling more boreholes across rural communities.

 

The event was witnessed by Senior Government appointees. 

 

Ctz. UKOHA NJOKU UKOHA 

Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State, Government House, Umuahia.