By Affiong Edim

In a significant stride toward improving sanitation infrastructure across Kaduna State, the Programme Coordinating Unit (PCU) of the Kaduna State Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) Programme has convened a one-day stakeholders’ engagement to validate and adopt new designs for sanitation facilities and to establish a standard user-to-drop-hole ratio.

The meeting, held on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at the SPCU Conference Hall, Obasanjo House, Kaduna, brought together key stakeholders from the Ministry of Health, the Kaduna State Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA), Kaduna Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (KADRUWASSA), State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Centre for Water and Environment Development (CEWED), and the Network for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), among others.

In his opening remarks, the Programme Coordinator, Engr. Esau A. Ambinjah, welcomed participants and expressed appreciation for their commitment to the programme’s objectives.

He emphasized that the collaborative effort of technical experts and implementing partners was essential in developing standardized, durable, and inclusive sanitation facilities for schools and healthcare institutions across the state.

The Programme Coordinator also gave an overview of the SURWASH Programme, highlighting its goal of expanding sustainable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services through improved infrastructure and institutional strengthening across the state.

Presenting the meeting’s objectives, the Institutional WASH Officer, Mr. Christian Nkom, explained that the engagement was convened to harmonize and adopt proposed sanitation facility designs, agree on standard specifications for both urban and rural settings, and establish a uniform user-to-drop-hole ratio for schools and health facilities.

Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Mahmood Shuaibu, Special Adviser to the Governor, reaffirmed the state government’s unwavering commitment to improving public health through effective WASH interventions.

He urged participants to ensure thorough validation of the proposed designs to meet both state and international sanitation standards.

The technical session featured detailed presentations by teams from KEPA and KADRUWASSA, who showcased improved sanitation designs informed by lessons from previous civil works.

The innovations include the use of design blocks instead of windows to reduce vandalism, aluminium roofing for greater durability, and the provision of ramps and handrails for accessibility.

Others are dedicated Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) sections, as well as handwashing and urinal facilities to enhance hygiene.

The State Universal Basic Education technical team also presented its proposed design. After extensive deliberations, stakeholders agreed to harmonize the designs from RUWASSA and KEPA into a unified, state-approved standard.

This decision was informed by recommendations from the World Bank mission to Kaduna and the need for uniformity and quality assurance in facility construction.

In line with the Disbursement Linked Indicator (DLI) 7 requirements, stakeholders unanimously agreed on a 70 pupils-per-drop-hole standard for schools.

It was also resolved that sanitation facilities should include separate blocks for boys, girls, and teachers to promote privacy and inclusivity.

The Technical Assistant on Environment (TAES), Mr. Gamaliel Stephen, delivered a presentation on environmental and social safeguards, stressing the need for full compliance with due diligence and documentation at all stages of project implementation.

He further emphasized site-specific adaptation of designs and the inclusion of sustainable water supply systems to support the functionality of sanitation facilities.

Key resolutions reached at the meeting include:

• Enforcement of Environmental and Social (E&S) due diligence throughout implementation;
• Adoption of 70 pupils per drop-hole as the state standard;
• Provision of separate sanitation blocks for boys, girls, and teachers;
• Recognition of urban and rural context-specific designs;
• Early commencement of procurement processes;
• Enhanced supervision to ensure construction quality;
• Prioritization of water supply to aid construction and usage; and
• Special considerations for schools with exceptionally high enrolment.

In his closing remarks, Engr. Esau Ambinjah commended participants for their active engagement and valuable inputs, noting that their collaboration reflected a shared vision for improved sanitation and hygiene standards in Kaduna State.