The Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, FNSE, on Friday received the new UNICEF Country Representative, Ms. Wafaa Saeed, who led a delegation on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.
In a statement signed by Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan, Director of Information and Public Relations, the Minister commended UNICEF for its longstanding commitment to supporting Nigeria’s water sector. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s readiness to deepen collaboration with UNICEF, particularly in the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
Prof. Utsev announced that a detailed report on the Ministry’s achievements in dams, irrigation, water quality, and WASH programmes would be compiled and shared with UNICEF to identify additional areas of partnership.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, echoed the Minister’s remarks, assuring that comprehensive documentation of the Ministry’s progress would be made available to guide future collaboration.
Directors from key departments, including Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Irrigation and Drainage, and Water Resources Planning & Technical Support Services, also lauded UNICEF’s contributions. They highlighted the organisation’s role in initiatives such as World Water Day celebrations and called for further cooperation in advancing water quality for irrigation and other purposes.
Earlier, Ms. Saeed said her visit was to understand the Ministry’s priorities and explore ways UNICEF could better support its mandate. She stressed the critical role of safe water and sanitation in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while also pointing to the potential of water resources to drive hydropower generation and boost government revenue.
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She pledged UNICEF’s continued commitment to strengthening its partnership with Nigeria in these areas.
Also present at the meeting were Mr. Chuks Mbaike, Director of Special Duties; Mrs. Stella Arachie, Director II of Dams and Reservoir Operations; and Engr. Habu Hassan, Deputy Director of Water Supply and Support Services.
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