Cross River State Launches New Water and Sanitation Policies

On [date not specified], Cross River State launched four policy documents designed to enhance water and sanitation services. The unveiling ceremony took place in Calabar and was organized by the state Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation in conjunction with Self Help Africa.

The policies include a roadmap to eliminate open defecation, a financing strategy for small towns and rural communities, and a prohibition law against open defecation. Professor Anthony Owan Enoh, representing the governor, emphasized the government's determination to implement these policies effectively, focusing on grassroots sensitization.

Bassei Mensah, the Commissioner for Water Resources and Sanitation, noted that the new policies provide a framework for coordinated action to improve sanitation financing and expand access to safer, sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. Joi Aderel from Self Help Africa acknowledged the collaborative effort in developing these documents, which aim to strengthen stakeholder engagement in the WASH sector across the eighteen local government areas of the state.