SURWASH Commences 140 Young Professionals Training in Gombe
By Aliyu Bala GERENGI, Gombe
Gombe State Office of the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) has commenced a two-day training workshop for more than 140 young professionals selected from communities across the state as part of efforts to promote environmental sanitation and healthy living.
The participants are expected to serve as sanitation ambassadors, educating residents on the importance of personal hygiene, environmental cleanliness, and the dangers of open defecation, which continues to pose serious health risks to communities.
Flagging off the workshop, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water, Environment and Forest Resources, represented by the Director of Planning, Mr. Eli Isa, commended SURWASH for the initiative.
He described the programme as timely and strategic, noting that empowering young people with knowledge on sanitation and hygiene would contribute significantly to reducing diseases associated with poor environmental practices.
Also speaking, the State Project Coordinator of SURWASH, Engineer Usman Abubakar Aliyu, reiterated the project’s commitment to improving sanitation standards and fostering healthier communities across Gombe State.
Engineer Aliyu stated that SURWASH would continue to support communities through sustained public enlightenment campaigns and the provision of facilities that encourage a clean, safe, and healthy environment.
Some of the participants, including Alice Alex Jatau from Kaltungo Local Government Area, Asiya Abdullahi from Gombe Local Government Area, and Yakubu Ahmed, the APC State Disability Leader, expressed appreciation to SURWASH for the opportunity.
They noted that the training had broadened their understanding of environmental sanitation and hygiene and pledged to take the knowledge back to their respective communities to support efforts aimed at preventing avoidable diseases.
The workshop forms part of SURWASH’s ongoing efforts to strengthen community participation in the campaign for improved sanitation, healthier living, and the elimination of open defecation across Gombe State.
