By Azuka Offor
Anambra State has taken a significant step toward improving rural water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services with the validation of baseline data to support evidence based planning and investment in the sector.
The validation workshop, held on July 23 and 24, 2026, at Fun Surge Hotel and Suites, Awka, was organised by the Anambra State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (ANA-RUWASSA) and the Anambra State Ministry of Power and Water Resources in collaboration with Teamwork Global Associates, consultants engaged by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation under the African Development Bank (AfDB) funded Inclusive Basic Services Delivery and Livelihood Empowerment Integrated Programme (IBSDLEIP).
The exercise focused on reviewing and validating WASH baseline data collected earlier this year by ANA-RUWASSA and Local Government Area (LGA) WASH personnel across 20 rural LGAs of the state. It also sought to strengthen institutional planning for equitable and sustainable WASH development in rural communities.
Representing the Commissioner for Power and Water Resources, Engr. Casmir Chinenye Agummadu, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Victor Ezekwo, underscored the importance of reliable data in driving effective planning, policy formulation and the equitable distribution of resources.
He commended the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, the African Development Bank and Teamwork Global Associates for their support in advancing access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene services across Anambra State.
The Programme Manager of ANA-RUWASSA, Mr. Tochukwu Nwosu, stressed the need for sustainability plans to ensure long term functionality of water facilities, identifing poor maintenance culture and weak sustainability structures as major factors responsible for the abandonment of some water projects, advocating the establishment of functional Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Committees (WASHCOMs) in every community.
Also speaking, WASH expert, Engr. Dr. Mike Nwude, described access to safe water and sanitation as fundamental to human development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goals 6.1 and 6.2 on universal access to safe water and adequate sanitation.
Dr. Nwude called on Local Government Chairmen to upgrade WASH units into full departments to enhance budgetary allocations and accelerate progress toward achieving the 2030 SDG targets.
He noted that the validated data, gathered by field personnel familiar with the communities, would provide a credible basis for planning, resource allocation and improved sanitation interventions, urging the Anambra State Government to deepen engagement with international development partners to attract greater investment in the state’s emerging WASH initiatives.
The workshop featured presentations, data review and validation sessions, institutional diagnostic discussions and technical recommendations. It concluded with the adoption of the validated baseline data as a working document, subject to minor corrections, followed by a question and answer session and a group photograph.
Azuka Offor is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
