Imo Celebrates World Water Day …Flags off Regular Hand Washing

Imo State has joined the rest of the World to celebrate World Water Day in Owerri which is marked yearly on 22nd March.

Just as the Water and Sewage Corporation with Technical Support from the three (3) USAID E-WASH grantee CSOs, on 26th March, 2020 Flagged Off Regular Hand Washing as one of the precautionary measures towards the prevention of Coronavirus in the State.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Imo State Water and Sewerage Corperation, Engr Emeka Celestine Ugoanyanwu (FNSE,FNIIWE,KSJI ), noted that the board is collaborating with USAID- Effective,Water,Sanitation and Hygiene, E-WASH and World Bank to restore Pipeborne Water to ensure steady, safe and clean water to health of citizens.

While sensitizing people on imbibing regular hand washing, the Managing Director, distributed bucket of running water, liquid soap, sanitizers including information, education and communication Materials donated by the three (3) CSOs to the Corporation which they equally distributed across Departments and Motor Parks within the vicinity of Water Corporation, Okigwe Road Office and Traders to inculcate hand washing habits against spread of the Coronavirus.

The CSOs, made up of Community and Youth Development Initiatives who implement the project at Orlu led by the program Officer, Mr Nelson Chibundum, as Widows and Orphans Empowerment Organization-WEWE implements in Owerri with their head, Mr Victor Adibe and Global Health Awareness Research Foundation, GHARF implementing at Okigwe by Program Officer, Amaka Chinenye after lecturing on how hands should be washed, presented sanitizers and bar soaps to Urban Wash Media Network team in commemoration of world Water Day celebration.

Thus, efforts made by the CSOs was a step towards community (grassroots) level advocacy campaigns to combat Coronavirus pandemic across the 3 zones of the state.

Ugoanyanwu warned social media users against peddling false news, adding that unfounded information can cause panic and heartbreak in the society.

Ugoanyanwu also disclosed that the government has set up a Coordinating Committee to handle issues around Coronavirus headed by Professor Maurice Iwu, former INEC National Chairman and other core professionals.

Notably, there are three (3) centres in Imo State that have some level of support systems for suspected or when possible confirmed cases. They are: Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, Imo State General Hospital, Umuguma, Owerri, Federal Medical Center Owerri.

There is also a Holding Bay at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport.

“Imo States has not recorded confirmed case of the virus and with over five million people in the State, one point one million people who constitute 20% do have access to clean water, four point three million of about 78% lack hand washing facilities, more than seven hundred as thousand of people of 13.3% practice open defecation and more than three million imolites do not have decent toilet”, he stated.

World Water Day, according to him, is a day dedicated to focus more attention on the issue of safe water as a fundamental right of everyone everywhere. It equally presents an opportunity to re -access the status of water availability, a time to renew people’s commitment to ensure Water Resources are properly protected and managed.

While, the Ventures Platform Foundation was also part of the COSs during the Flagg Off Advocacy Drive/Sensitization for Proper Hand Washing at the ISWSC, represented by State Project Coordinator, Mr Edwin Ezurike.

…News Corner.