As stakeholders converge on Ikeja to review the Advancing Inclusive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, AI-WASH, project facilities constructed in Ikorodu North and Ojodu LCDAs, the Lagos State government and beneficiary communities and schools have been challenged to ensure maintenance of the facilities to serve the purposes of open defecation free environment and prevent diseases for a healthier Lagos.
The AI-WASH projects which commenced in June 2025 and closed in May 2026, was facilitated by WaterAid Nigeria with three hundred thousand Great Britain pounds funded by DP World to provide safe water and Sanitation facilities for public schools and hard to reach communities in Ikorodu North and Ojodu LCDAs as well as training of over sixty Female Local Area Mechanics, on technical training to maintain the facilities.
In his opening remark at the Stakeholders Review Meeting, Head of WaterAid Nigeria Lagos office, Dr Adebayo Alao, said the objectives of the AI-WASH projects was to improve hygiene behavior changes and promote WASH entrepreneurship among women, while urging beneficiary communities to ensure adequate and prompt maintenance of the facilities so that Donors will be proud to fund such projects in other rural communities for the benefit of residents.
“The project seeks to deepen
the support to Ikorodu North and Ojodu LCDAs on inclusive access to quality Water
Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH, services in Lagos State.
The project is over 12-month
period, expected to reach 108,000 people with improved WASH services (water supply to 6,500 people, sanitation to 1,500 people, and hygiene services to 100,000 people across lkorodu North and Ojodu LCDAS”
“As a key partner in this project, your insights, field experiences and feedbacks are vital to ensuring the long-term impact and sustainability of the gains of the interventions”
Giving statistics on the outcomes of the project, WaterAid Nigeria Wash and Sanitation Manager who is also the Project Coordinator, Mr Dare Oduluyi, express delight that the project exceeded the expected outcomes with over twelve thousand residents reached directly as against the eight thousand projected, while over six hundred thousand people were reached with hygiene messages through the media as against the projected one hundred thousand, however there was a shortfall of eighty people in numbers of students in beneficiary school in Ojodu due to enrollment but the Sanitation facilities was applauded as one of the best in public schools in Lagos.
“We held 4 sessions of Hygiene behaviour change event in Ojodu schools and Odo nla
community reaching 4,820 persons through physical touchpoint and 656,000
people through media campaign via radio jingle aired on Radio Onr 103.5 FM.
In collaboration other projects and MoE, Jointly developed HBC messages and billboard erected in three different locations across Lagos Ikeja, Lagos
Island and Ajeromi/Ifelodun, organized 4 global campaign days, GHD, WTD, WWD & MHD and raised awareness for WASH gaps while advocating urgent purposeful actions”
“We identified and trained 15 WASHCOMs and 21 VHPS who are committed to the maintenance of the facilities in their domains”
The Community Development Committee Chairman in Ikorodu North LCDA, Prince Adeniran Ogunbanwo, expressed deep appreciation to WaterAid Nigeria and DP World for providing Water facilities in their community at Odo nla, assuring that the Council leadership will ensure qualitative protection against vandals and maintenance to improve its shelf life.
“We are gathered not just to acknowledge development, but to Review the progress of the project through DP World, it is life-changing intervention, one that will serve generations and uplift our communities in measurable and immeasurable ways” he said
“Our deepest appreciation goes to WaterAid Nigeria, the facilitator of this transformative project, and DP World who finance this project.
Your intervention has not only built infrastructure it has restored hope to the needing community of Odonla, this transformation has given the community fresh start clean, safe, and sustainable water facility”
Speaking on sustainability Plan, the Programme Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting, PMER, Manager for WaterAid Nigeria, Mr Eta Eteta, described Sustainability as the continuous operation of WASH services and the permanent adoption of hygiene practices over time with no expiration date, maintaining that sustainability means achieving lasting benefits through the ongoing uninterrupted use of safe water, sanitation, and hygiene in beneficiary communities and schools.
Highpoint of the review Meeting was the drafting of Action plans for Sustainability of the AI-WASH projects by relevant Stakeholders from Lagos Education District 6, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Council Authorities in Ikorodu North and Ojodu LCDAs, LASWARCO, among others.
Written by Yemisi Dada