As Nigerian states battle the outbreak of Cholera, a review of budget performance documents, has shown that states are failing to spend on their rural water and sanitation agency.
This is based on review of budget performance documents of the state.
On its website for instance the Borno State government says the Borno State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency is responsible for establishment, control, management and development of water works in rural areas of Borno state.
This underscores the importance of the agency in water provision for rural areas in the state. Data shows that the state has failed to commit financially to the agency, just like many other states monitored in this report.
Poor water and poor sanitation are listed as two major causes of cholera.
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says a total of 10,837 suspected cases and 359 deaths from cholera have been reported since the beginning of the year.
Lagos leads the pack with 134 cases Jigawa 52, Kano 46, Oyo 26, Ebonyi 16, Adamawa 16, Rivers 13, Katsina 12 and Bauchi 10.
Data review shows that the Kwara Rural water supply and Sanitation agency budgeted a paltry N6.6 million for the whole of 2024 but only spent N1.2 million in the first six months of 2024.
Bauchi state budgeted the sum of N3.4 billion for its rural water and sanitation agency but only spent N41.9 million in the first six months of 2024.
Katsina state budgeted N52.6 million for the rural water supply and sanitation agency but spent only N24.4 million in the first six months of the year
Ondo State Rural water supply and Sanitation Agency budgeted the sum of N1.418 billion but spent N137.7 million in the first six months of the year.
Oyo State rural water and sanitation agency budgeted N127.1 million for 2024, however it spent only N3.518 million in the first six months of the year.
In Kano, the rural water and sanitation agency, budgeted to spend N1.992 billion but the actual spent was N87.2 million.
Kogi Rural water and Sanitation Agency budgeted the sum of N28.2 million for the 2024 fiscal year, however only N2.6 million has been spent in the first six months of the year.
Borno State rural water supply and sanitation agency budgeted N3 billion, although only N254.3 million was spent in the first six months of the year
Adamawa Rural water and sanitation agency budgeted N199.5 million, although only N14.5 million was spent in the first six months of the year.
Anambra state rural water and sanitation agency budgeted N96.6 million while the actual amount in six months stood at N2.1 million.
This development also comes amid deprivation of households of access to sanitary facilities per data published by the National Bureau of Statistics.
In Abia state for instance, 67% of households are deprived access to sanitary facilities, 70% are deprived in Akwa Ibom, 56% in Anambra, 65% in Bauchi, 73% in Delta, 87% in Ebonyi, 79% in Kebbi, 75% in Kwara, 71% in Niger, 79% in Oyo, 73% in Yobe, and 79% in Zamfara.
Access to clean drinking water is another identified problem. 81% of households in Cross River lack access to clean drinking water, 71% in Nasarawa, 73% in Plateau, 86% in Taraba, 51% in Zamfara, 76% in Ekiti, 80% in Benue.
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