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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Three states to benefit from N6bn World Bank water supply creditEBHOHON IKHURIONAN, Abuja
THE World Bank has ap-proved an Interna tional Development Association (IDA) credit of $120 million (N16 billion) to boost water supply in three states of the country. A World Bank statement in Abuja on Monday named the states as Kaduna, Kano and Ogun. The project would involve the rehabilitation and expansion of water supply system in the three states as well as reform of the regulatory framework to deepen the autonomy of the states water agencies and reduce their reliance on state subsidies. Leader of the World Bank task team for the project, Mr. Alexander Mephail, said �the credit will fund efforts by Nigeria to improve the reliability and financial viability of urban water facilities by enhancing commercial and operational capacity.� The facility will also provide opportunities for public-private partnerships, expand access to potable water for the urban poor and increase the number of low income households connected to the piped water network.� World Bank estimates showed that about 50 per cent of the urban and 20 per cent of the semi-urban dwellers have access to reliable water supply in the country. The Federal Government is to provide an additional funding of $20 million (N2.76bn) to the project. The sector reform will emphase on the establishment of state regulators, adopting a viable national water policy and the establishment of a final policy to increase the number of Nigerians that have access to potable water.
Wednesday, June 30, 2004 |
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