Presidential Summit on Water 2013

PRESIDENTIAL SUMMIT ON WATER 2013

Background Water for All High Level Meeting of Governance, Tolani Busari, A Presidential Summit on Water in April 2012. Nigeria’s Finance represented WaterAid on the hosted by President Goodluck Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iwea- organising committee for the Jonathan was held in Abuja, la, represented Nigeria at this summit. Nigeria, on 18 and 19 February meeting and committed along 2013. Also present were other with Ministers of 39 other coun- Objectives high profile guests such as Nige- tries to increase improved water With the theme Innovative Fund- ria’s Vice President, Arc. Namadi service access by at least 5% ing of the Water Sector, the Sambo; Senate President, Chief and increase access to improved summit aimed to: David Mark; former Presidents sanitation services by at least • Seek out avenues for alterna- of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun 7% in their various countries by tive funding of water infra- Obasanjo and Ghana, Mr. John the next High Level Meeting in structures and development Kufuor – who is also the chair of 2014. of the sector; the Sanitation and Water for All • Mobilise more support partnership. WaterAid played an integral from development part- role in the planning and was ners, international financial Various Nigerian state gover- represented at the summit at Institutions, donors, NGOs, nors, the Governors’ Forum, a high level. Girish Menon, the private sector and other national and international min- the International Director sources and, isters, ambassadors, captains of Programmes and Deputy • Bring issues surrounding of industries, heads of interna- Chief Executive represented sustainable water services in tional organisations, stakehold- WaterAid Chief Executive, Nigeria to the fore and chan- ers, practitioners in the water Barbara Frost and moderated nel the way forward. sector and partners from non- the panel discussion on ‘The governmental and development role of development partners Sessions agencies also took part in the and donor agencies’. Mariame There were five panel discus- summit. Dem, WaterAid Head of Region sions made up of and moderated - West Africa - was also in by renowned experts and dig- Participants at the summit came attendance as was Timeyin nitaries including Deputy Chief from all over the world – US, UK, Uwejamomere who was invited Executive of WaterAid, Mr Girish Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, by the Permanent Secretary of Menon. Israel – and cut across various the Ministry of Water Resources Session 1: Investing in water as sectors – health, education, to act as Special Rapporteur. a key development driver: finance, agriculture and environ- WaterAid Nigeria Country Session 2: Enhancing water and ment - clearly highlighting the Representative, Dr Michael Ojo, sanitation funding in a federa- significance of water and sanita- chaired one of six discussion tive setting tion to all areas of human devel- sessions on what government Session 3: Imperative of funding opment and its importance as a priorities should be and the water sector within the context first step in helping to overcome key commitments required to of climate change poverty. implement these priorities. The Session 4: Improving public outcomes of these discussions private partnership in the water The summit was an outcome of fed into the communiqué and sector Nigeria’s attendance and com- action plan developed out of the Session 5: The role of mitments at the Sanitation and summit. WaterAid Nigeria Head development partners and donor agencies. Council. The Committee will be made up of relevant line ministries such as those mentioned above and will be responsible for coordinat- Outcomes ing cross-cutting water and sanitation responsibilities. Sector regulation Private sector involvement Following the summit, the At the summit, the Ministry of Water Resources signed MOUs with two Ministry of Water Resources private sector partners (Bank of Industry in Nigeria and LR3 Group in made available a draft harmon- Israel). The MOU with Nigeria Bank of Industry will provide opportuni- ised integrated water resources ties for potential private sector operators to access loans for water bill which supports the estab- projects from the Bank. lishment of a sector regula- tory commission. The Ministry also called for a stakeholders meeting to review the draft bill to be forwarded to National Assembly for passage into law. ey People The regulation will also aim to ensure vulnerable groups have improved access to WASH ey Quotes services. K Funding for the sector “There is need for a greater level of collaboration amongst Commitments made by dif- the three tiers of government (federal, state and local). ferent levels of government Participants at this summit must set targets and establish attending the summit and dis- timelines for the realisation of various identified activities cussions around other avenues and challenges in the water sector.” of funding are likely to lead to President of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr Goodluck Jonathan an increase in funding for the “This summit has the highest level of political backing and demon- water sector. It is also expect strates the elevation of the water sector in the heart and transforma- that more state governors will tion agenda of the President. I am convinced that the water sector will prioritise WASH and invest experience a turnaround after the summit. more in the sector at the state If water is life, how much life do we give to society daily? As long as we and local levels as a result of do not meet the water MDGs, it means there are some in our society the summit. without life. We cannot rest on our oars until all citizens have access to safe water. To achieve this, all partners must play a part.” Sector coordination Honourable Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe To better coordinate donor funding and activities in the “Since water is life, the past two days of the summit have been time well water and sanitation sector, spent in giving life to the people of Nigeria. I’m happy with the open and the Ministry of Water Resources frank discussions we’ve had here. We will take all measures to ensure has already started to request that policies in the sector will protect the poorest and most margin- programme information from alised. We must set timelines, measurable outcomes and closely moni- all relevant development tor the outcomes of the summit.” partners and will subsequently Vice President of Nigeria, Arc Namadi Sambo be meeting regularly with the “The problem is in the political prioritisation and commensurate funding partners. At the government of the water sector. level, the presence of other Ministers such as Agriculture, At the 2012 Sanitation and Water for All High Level Meeting, Nigeria’s Environment, Education, Health Finance Minister, Dr Okonjo-Iweala said the huge funding gap demands and National Planning at the finding innovative ways to raise the needed resources to fund the sec- summit is an indication of their tor. I would like to congratulate Nigeria for following through with one of willingness to work with the its commitments at the Sanitation and Water for All High Level Meeting Ministry of Water Resources. and I call on other countries to deliver on their promises.” The Ministry is willing to pro- Former President of Ghana and Chairman of the Sanitation and Water for All Part- pose an inter-ministerial com- nership, John Kufour mittee to the Federal Executive “It is crucial that we see water not just as a social “Never before in WaterAid history have we seen need but also as an economic resource.” anything as spectacular in terms of political will and African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) leadership for the WASH sector. In addition to the President, Dr Mohamed Bahaa El-Din Saad President and Vice President, it was truly impressive to see almost half the cabinet there. “This summit is a best practice I hope to see repli- The donor participation was equally impressive. It was cated in other countries.” really exciting to hear the Finance Minister talk about the $1 billion over the next 5 years for WASH being Vice-President, African Development Bank, Gilbert discussed with donors through grants and loans, and Mbesherubusa the increased commitment of the national govern- “Our planning has always been out of sync with the ment to WASH. population of Nigeria. The people need to hold gov- In many ways, this could well be the transformational ernment accountable for water supply and we need a juncture for the WASH sector in Nigeria.” legal framework to enforce this. If government fails to WaterAid Director of International Programmes & Deputy deliver water to its people, the people should have a Chief Executive, Girish Menon right to take govt to court!” Niger State Governor and Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Dr Babangida Aliyu “There’s nothing that’s being said here today that we’ve not said or heard before. Whatever we do, we must ensure that the solutions we come up with are pro-poor and take the most vulnerable into account.” Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, former Minister of Water Resources and one time President of the African Ministers Council On Water (AMCOW), Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari

“The irony of lack of access to water in the midst of apparent plenty is the reason we need to think out- side the box. Business as usual will not get us there. This issue is too serious to be left in the hands of politicians or any one entity alone. It is in the hands of A cross-section of participants at the summit all and all must work together. If they do, we will get there.” Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo “Provision of potable water for all is crucial to the nation’s development.” Nigeria’s Senate President, Dr David Mark “Sanitation is as important as access to water, the two go together. This crisis is not an academic issue, it is something people struggle with everyday. To date, we have mobilised over a billion US dollars to be used over the next five years in the water sector.” WaterAid Nigeria’s Country Representative, Dr Michael Ojo, makes a Nigeria’s Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala presentation on outcomes of group discussions at the summit. “Water underpins so many of the Millennium Development Goals.” World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Ms. Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly

Go to http://www.presidentialwatersummit2013.com.ng to download the communique from the Presidential Summit on Water. Nigeria’s President, Vice-President, Senate WaterAid’s International Director of Girish Menon, WaterAid’s President and former Presidents Obasanjo of Programmes and Deputy Chief Executive, International Director of Nigeria and John Kufour of Ghana along with Girish Menon, exchanges greetings with Programmes and Deputy other dignitaries at the summit. Nigeria’s Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Chief Executive moderated a Sarah Reng Ochekpe and Vice President panel discussion on the role Namadi Sambo. of development partners and donor agencies.

Participants during a group discussion at the WaterAid Nigeria’s Country Representative, Dr Permanent Secretary of the summit Michael Ojo, moderates a group discussion at Ministry of Water Resources, the summit. Ambassador Godknows Igali, at the summit.

Question and Answer session at the summit. Nigeria’s Minister of Water Resources chats Head of WaterAid West with AMCOW President and Deputy Governor of Africa region, Mariame Sokoto State (who was also former Minister of Dem and WaterAid Nigeria Water Resources and one time President of the Country Representative, Dr African Ministers Council On Water). Michael Ojo, at the summit.

WaterAid transforms lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities. We work with partners and influence decision-makers to maximise our impact. Website: http://www.wateraid.org/nigeria E-mail address: [email protected]

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