By Our Reporter
OBUBRA (CONVERSEER) – The Cross River State Government has initiated the implementation of the WASH System for Health (WS4H) programme in the Obubra Local Government Area. Making inroads, the first activity was the stakeholders’ meeting held at the Obubra Local Government Council Hall on Monday, 27th October 2025.
At the stakeholders’ meeting, the state government reiterated its commitment to ensuring that every citizen has access to safe water, improved sanitation, and proper hygiene, as the foundation of a healthy and productive society. The event was organised by the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWATSSA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources and Self Help Africa (SHA).
Declaring the meeting open, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Barrister Bassey Offiong Mensah, described water, sanitation, and hygiene as “not merely basic needs but human rights and critical determinants of health and development.”
He noted that studies have shown that up to 80 per cent of diseases in developing regions are linked to poor water and sanitation conditions, stressing that “investing in WASH is, in truth, investing in the health, dignity, and prosperity of our people.”
The Commissioner emphasised that the meeting was designed to strengthen collaboration between government agencies, development partners, and local authorities to make WASH services more sustainable and accountable.
“Our discussions today will centre on how we can jointly strengthen WASH systems for effective service delivery, align our efforts with national and global goals, and ensure that no community in Cross River State is left behind,” he said.
Barrister Mensah commended Self Help Africa and other development partners for their continued collaboration, noting that their support has made Cross River a model for sustainable and accountable WASH service delivery.
Relatively, Dr Hippolatus Lukpata, the State Commissioner for International Donor Coordination, hailed the leadership of the Council for committing to the success of the programme. “Obubra has done great by accepting this project,” he said.
He called on the community to protect WASH infrastructures around them and charged them to “prosecute any vandals; we have laws.” Adding that, “Cross River State was the first to have an LGA declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) in this country, but now, no LGA is ODF. Our hands must be on deck.”
Dr Bong Duke, Vice Chairman and CEO, State Planning Commission (SPC), described the engagement as “an important meeting”. Maintaining that “The WS4H programme represents a vital intervention of four collective efforts to build a healthier and more sustainable Cross River State.”
Represented by Mr Tommy Samuel, he noted that “waterborne diseases, poor sanitation and inadequate hygiene facilities have constrained the progress in health and community wellbeing.” He pledged to ensure the programme is well implemented and integrated into the State’s development priorities.
The General Manager of RUWATSSA, Hon Sunday Oko, in his special remarks, pledged to relocate to Obubra to ensure the programme works. This is not a Calabar thing, that’s why you see us all here.”
Reiterating Dr Hippolatus’ call for prosecution of vandals of WASH infrastructure, the RUWATSSA GM warned that “this is not business as usual.”
Earlier, during the Obubra LGA Chairman, Hon Kingsley Arikpo thanked the state government for choosing his local government area for the programme without any lobbying.
According to him, “even though I wasn’t told that this is how the programme looks, we welcome it.”
He revealed that “some chiefs are in the business of destroying and selling those infrastructures, talk to them. Another issue is the quality of boreholes; some don’t last long after drilling, and some are done hurriedly, please, thank you.”
Mr Ferdinand Anok, Senior WASH Officer, Self Help Africa, during his goodwill message he urged the participants to take hygiene practices seriously.
The daylong event featured an institution-triggering activity meant to awaken the participants to the realities of eating and drinking shit (faeces). It also featured a visioning and assessment session.
The Paramount Ruler of Obubra, who also delivered a goodwill message, urged community members to sustain proper hygiene practices and protect public facilities provided under the programme.
It will be recalled that the State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, approved the release of ₦95 million as counterpart funding for a three-year WASH intervention programme in Obubra.
The approval was announced in August by the Commissioner for Water Resources and confirmed by the General Manager of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA).
