As a demonstration of its commitment to providing sustainable access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene that will improve peoples’ health and well-being, Guinness Nigeria Plc, a subsidiary of Diageo, has partnered with Water Aid to establish a solar powered water facility in the D’ka community of Wasagu LGA, Kebbi State.
According to its recent reports, Guinness Nigeria and WaterAid Nigeria recently worked with the Kebbi State Government through the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) to provide inclusive access to clean water to an estimated 2,500 people in D’ka village, thereby strengthening the capacity of the community.
Speaking that the unveiling of the project held recently in Kebbi state, Guinness Nigeria’s Head of North Division, Penni Vika; being represented by its Territory Manager for Sokoto/Kebbi, Demmo Ibrahim; said: ‘as part of our ongoing commitment to the communities in which we source, make or sell, and in contribution to the achievement of the UN Sustainable development Goal (SDG) 6 which focuses on clean water and sanitation, Guinness Nigeria has established several water schemes under the Diageo Africa Water of Life programme, a project that provides access to clean drinking water and socio-economic development.’
Penni Vika noted that Guinness Nigeria’s partnership with WaterAid and Kebbi State Government on the project is in line with its commitment to driving interventions that help more Nigerians access clean drinking water. ‘We believe that water is a basic human right and our commitment remains unwavering in ensuring that people in underserved communities continue to have access to clean water,’ he added.
Commending Guinness Nigeria for the provision of the clean water to D’Ka Community; the Executive Chairman of DankoWasagu LGA, Kebbi State, Suleiman Shindi; said: “We say a big thank you to Guinness Nigeria and all the organizations that have come together to put together this water project for the progress of this community. I want to also call on the people of D’Ka community to thank these organizations going into rural areas to bring development and I urge you to support them and also thank the Kebbi state government for supporting this project.”
The Country Director of WaterAid Nigeria, Gerald Ogoko; being represented by the Co-ordinator of Strategic Partnership and Grant Management of WaterAid, Dr.ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye; appreciated the continuous support of its partner Diageo Plc.
He said that Diageo Plc through its ‘Water of Life’ project shall continue to extend sustainable water services to communities and marginalised members of the society. ‘At WaterAid, equity and inclusion is a fundamental guiding principle in our effort to deliver clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. We are therefore excited at the opportunity to be part of the commissioning of this water facility provided to the people of D’Ka community with support from Diageo Plc’, he added.
Members of the D’Ka community also expressed their gratitude to Guinness Nigeria and WaterAid for providing them with the water facility, stressing that it will reduce their burden and improve their means of livelihood.
It could be recalled that WaterAid has been working in Nigeria since 1995, partnering with the government and people of Nigeria to ensure sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene as well as utilising and strengthening local capacity to adequately provide quality technical assistance for water, sanitation and hygiene delivery and development in Nigeria.
Reports revealed that the ‘Water of Life’ scheme is Guinness Nigeria’s flagship sustainable development programme and that since launching the scheme, Guinness Nigeria has provided safe drinking water to over 2 million Nigerians through approximately 22 water schemes across the country, some of which were located in Abia, Rivers, Lagos, Ogun, Niger, Nassarawa, Edo, Benue, Oyo, Imo, Oyo, Ondo, Enugu, Ekiti, Kwara and Anambra states.
Among the dignitaries present at the commissioning were Suleiman Shindi, Executive Chairman, Danko Wasagu LGA, Kebbi State, Lawal Gwandu; Director Water Supply, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA Kebbi), Assistant Director Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development Kebbi, Ahmed Tijani Umar; Director of Health Danko Wasagu LGA, Nasamu Samri; Director of Works Danko Wasagu LGA, Saleh Bahago Kanya; Director of Social Danko Wasagu LGA,Mallam Abubakar D’Ka; D’Ka Community leader, Dan Baba Abubakar; Danko Wasagu, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Coordinator and members of the community.
Posted By Oyedeyi Samson
