By Peter Duru – Makurdi

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has commenced work on the 12,000 litres motorized solar powered water borehole, two blocks of five compartment toilets and five compartment bathrooms for 27,227 Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in Uikpam IDPs camp, Guma Local Government Area of Benue state.

The global organization also commenced the training of 438 Volunteer Hygiene Promoters, VHPs in six IDPs camps in the state who go from house to house in the camps talking to the IDPs about good hygiene practices.

The UNICEF WASH Specialist, UNICEF Field Office, Enugu, Mr. Doutimiye Kiakubu told newsmen who yesterday visited the project site and training centers that the VHPs trainings were going on in six camps located in Ortese, Uikpam, Gbajimba, Daudu I and III as well as Abagena.

He said, “yesterday we had training for the Water Sanitation and Hygiene Committee, WASHCO, members; they are the committee responsible for maintenance of water and sanitation facilities in the camps.”

He assured that the ongoing water and toilet projects would be completed next week to enable the IDPs enjoy the facilities saying, “already the borehole has been drilled, reticulation and building of the reservoir is ongoing.”

“Hopefully by next week we will complete the project. The borehole will serve the IDPs and the host community. Though it is a solar powered borehole but we also made provision for hand pump for use when there is no sun especially during the rainy season.

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“The aim is to improve and sustain access to user-friendly, climate resilient and energy efficient Water, Sanitation and Hyigene, WASH, services, while building the capacity of the IDPs to own, operate and maintain the facilities and services within the camps.”

The Chief Geologist of Benue State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency BERWASSA, Dominic Wanan who is part of the supervising team explained that “the water tank capacity is 12,000 litres. The motorized solar powered borehole of this capacity will serve 3,500 people at a time.

“It is a thing of joy that UNICEF is not only giving the camp water but the host community that lacked water for long will also benefit from this intervention. We urge others to emulate what UNICEF is doing in Benue state.”

Reacting, the Manager of the Uipkam IDPs camp, Mr. Matthew Asaaga, said “we are very excited about this intervention by UNICEF because for a year we had to contend with the issue of water scarcity in the camp and the host community. We are very happy because UNICEF has done a lot and this water facility will not only serve the camp but the host community who are in dire need of portable water.

“They are also giving us toilets and bathrooms which we did not have since the camp started operating in January; so it is quite commendable.”

On her part, the Chairman of WASHCOM in Uikpam camp, Mrs. Regina Abaga commended the global organization for the intervention saying “it would greatly improve sanitation and water supply in the camp. All we can do is to ensure that we maintain these facilities and also continue to pray for UNICEF to do more for us.”

Vanguard News Nigeria