AYADE TO INVEST 15 MILLION DOLLARS FOR SANITATION IN CROSS RIVER STATE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

"Achieving clean water and sanitation requires African solutions"

Yesterday in far away Johannesburg, South Africa during the 2018 edition of the Global Citizen Festival; a global Citizen movement which engaged citizens from around the world who are using their collective voice to end extreme poverty by 2030. The platform teaches members about the systemic causes of extreme poverty, and need to take action on those issues, and earn rewards for their actions as part of a global community committed to lasting change. Especially the Anti apartheid revolutionary, Nelson Mandela took center stage this year at the festival with the tag; 2018 Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

Speaking, Governor of Cross River State, Senator (Prof) Ben Ayade ably represented by Director General of Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Betta Edu said achieving clean water and sanitation requires African solutions.

He announce about three million dollars will be committed every year for the next five years, for a total of fifteen million dollars for hygiene, water and sanitation in Cross River State. According to him this will catapult the State into delivering the first Open defecation free state in West Africa.

Ayade called on Governors in Nigeria and the world in general to pay more attention to Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) issues in a bid to achieve set goals.

While introducing Governor Ayade, South African comedian, Trevor Noah called on all to join global citizens and press for action on WASH.

According to him one in three people live without basic sanitation and toilets leading to preventable diseases and sometimes even death.He said the situation in sub saharan Africa is "getting worse," as it affects even menstruation in girls keeping them out of school.

He called on "corporations to step up and take action to ensure that the struggle for clean water and sanitation can be won."

It would be recall that Obanliku local government area of northern Cross River State had emerged as the first Open defecation free local government in Nigeria. And 4 more have achieved that status. This Is very important to the health of people in communities 

The pledged funds will be used for Several actions at community levels to provide clean water and improve sanitation. all PHC centers will be built with solarized borehole to serve as source of drinking water for the communities the serve. Purchase of automated rigs or drilling machines which would be deployed into villages to drill boreholes and provide water for people in rural & hard to reach areas. More sustainably communities will be enlightened and mobilized to ensure proper sanitation and hygiene in their communities which ensure sustainability 

Part of the dignitaries that graced the occasion includes President of Ghana,  Nana Akufo Addo, Head of African Union and President of Rwanda,  Paul Kagame,  Former Minister of Agriculture Nigeria and President of African Development Bank,  Mr Akinwumni Adesina. President of South Africa (host) president of Serra lone, Prime minister of Norway, Deputy Secretary General of UN, Amina Mohammed, president of Mozambique, Oprah Winfrey and several others