By Augustine Okezie, Katsina

The Minister of Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman H Adamu, has declared Katsina State tops among the 36 states in terms of open defecation, which, according to him, demonstrates the progress made by the Federal Government in the implementation of the sanitation programme.

The Minister, who disclosed this at the inauguration of the 75 million litres per day Zobe Water Treatment Plant in Dutsinma, Katsina State, by President Buhari, said the Federal Government is currently complementing the effort of Katsina State with the construction of sanitation facilities in public places and the recruitment of 2,300 of the planned 3,400 volunteers, with 100 people per LGA.

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The Minister further described the Zobe Regional Water Supply Scheme is capable of serving an estimated population of over one million people resident in Katsina Town and seven communities contiguous to it. The communities include Kankia, Kurfi, Kafin–Soli, Karofi, Radda, Charanchi and Bindawa – Danmusa.

Adamu stated that the Federal Government’s intervention in water supply was meant to accelerate access to potable water, adding that whenever such intervention on water facility had been completed, it’s usually handed over to the state government, local government or community for operation and maintenance, depending on the nature and size of the facility.