ADDRESSING WATER SCARCITY AND QUALITY: AN EXTENDED ABSTRACT BY KICHIME GOYANG GOTAU

ADDRESSING WATER SCARCITY AND QUALITY: AN EXTENDED ABSTRACT

By Kichime Goyang Gotau (Author)

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

Africa, one of the most populous continents in the world, has begun grappling with issues of water scarcity across a number of its states – forcing infrastructure and long – term sustainability questions. The water scarcity issue is considerably daunting, given the fact that Africa represents over 18% of the world’s population, having over one billion people. The population of Africa is expected to grow by 32,476,000 in 2020 and reach 1,378,399,000 in 2021 (including immigration and emigration. Apart from geographical inequalities and poverty, that deprives a large cross section of our population access to water and to quality water; poor water culture (demand, supply and management) and especially lack of water education among youths, are the biggest challenges facing water demand and management in Nigeria, thus impeding significant efforts towards addressing water scarcity and quality around Africa and Nigeria in particular. Youth, from a functional African context, is a person(s) around the age forty. Apart from those under age 14 years of age and are better called Children.

These people (the youth) and the general public are in dearth of quality water, but as critical stakeholders (especially girls and women who toil daily and manages water for nearly every household in Africa) – are expected by UNESCO goal and this research, to be responsible-for and knowledgeable-enough on water security. Water security can be referred to as the availability of adequate safe water supply that generally support livelihoods, good health and production. The youth and water security in Africa must rise to the occasion as UNESCO increasingly become globally reliable partner like UNEP, UNSIA, UN – AMCOW and UN – Habitat, in the water sector engaging with youth as leaders, knowledge-holders and innovators in the Sector; through the motivation of youth to become more involved in research, development, innovation, enterprise and partnerships that address water security issues in Africa; in a bid to achieve goal 6 (clean water & sanitation) towards realizing the 2030 UN agenda for sustainable development.

Abuja's 2020 population is now estimated at 3,277,740. In 1950, the population of Abuja was 18,977. Abuja has grown by 836,049 since 2015, which represents a 6.07% annual change. These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization prospects. These estimates represent the urban agglomeration of Abuja, which typically includes Abuja's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas. Page 2 So, which measures are effective in addressing water scarcity and quality…? This problem statement (research question) is what we set out to address among other things when given the chance to undertake this project. This project is targeting youth between the ages of 18 and 35 years, in the six (6) area municipal councils (urban & peri-urban communities) of the federal capital territory – Abuja, north central Nigeria.

From 2007 to date, we have been involved in various WASH/MNCH projects as well as women and youth targeted advocacy and community engagement programs, including the design of the water consumer attitude survey (CAS) and development of the public awareness strategy (PAS) document, respectively, in the water for African cities phase II Jos city program of the UN-Habitat, 2009. And most recently, designing WASH campaign messages for ISHIBA Kuje FCT – Abuja, 2019. The goal here being, to create the enabling environment for youth in Africa to adapt to sustainable water security measures and systems in Africa by achieving the implementation of the UN agenda 2030 goal six (6) and thus rescue Africa from pending doom against livelihoods and productions.

As overarching aim/objective; this research set out to strategically, increase the percentage of youth with high water security consciousness from below average to a good rating in the 6-municipal areas of Abuja, Nigeria (Africa); increase awareness on gender equality as bedrock for water security; mobilize key decision makers (legislators & sundry government officials) for enactment of enabling legal frameworks on water security in the 6-Municipal areas of the FCT; strengthen FCT and local (Municipal Areas) as tiers of government with the requisite capacity to deliver and promote water security measures and strengthen roles of households and communities in the promotion, practice, and delivery of high impact water security interventions, as well as improving policies, programming, and resource allocation at the Municipal area/FCT and federal levels. Methodically, the following planned activities and approaches shall be employed for successful implementation, thus: planned meetings, advocacy and sensitization, community mobilization, enable the creation of ward development committees (WDC) and water security community development committees (WSCDC); comprising of the following members: a ward/clan head as patron, an elected chairman, an elected female secretary, chairmen of village/community development committees, headmaster of school and or principal of school, Senior water engineer or geologist (WASH specialist), ward committee development officer, representatives of occupational groups (NGO/International organizations, water vendors association chairman/delegation, Page 3 religious groups, women and youth groups, chairmen of patent medicine stores/medicine dealers, traditional healers and heads of facilities in the area etc.

In conclusion, Abuja and Africa’s rising youth population deserves the timely initiatives spearheaded by our organization Youth WASH9ja, as supported by UNESCO and sundry international development partners and volunteers in order to curb with the pandemic of water insecurity in Africa; which is responsible for poor youth health, short life expectancy and numerous fatal disease conditions that leads to waste of hard earned lean resources on what are “just preventable water-borne diseases”.

The thriving culture of misplaced priority by the political class; with incredible wastage of over 75% of investments in the water sector - in what Actionaid-Nigeria once described as “Off Track & Off Target”. This is the crux of our travail, pre-supposing our urgency for youth participation in development as much as in politics; but here and now, starting by taking advantage of the youth and water security in Africa initiative of UNESCO & sundry partners. Declaration of Consent to Publication and Assignation of Copyright by author/Submitter: We confirm that I/We checked the information contained in this extended abstract before submission and it is correct. Submission of the extended abstract indicates my consent to its publication (e.g. on websites, social media platforms, in programs, compilation/reproduction in a booklet/ distribution/ display/translation of the content in other promotional activities, etc.) and use by the organizers of the call for extended abstract.

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