BY DINMA BIGWA
The Delta State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (STOWASSA) is leaving no stone unturned in delivering high-quality projects that meet global best standards.
To this end, the agency which is under the Ministry of Water Resources Development, has trained contractors handling its projects in the state to comply with international best practices while executing their jobs.
During the workshop in Asaba, the General Manager of STOWASSA, Engr Anthony Unuafe said the essence of the training exercise was to brief the contractors on the guidelines of project implementation established by the World Bank standards.
He added that the contractors would also be trained on health safety management systems, waste management and grievance redress mechanisms and educate them on gender-based violence awareness during the project implementation. ‘’There are some of you (contractors) here who were here with us last year when we did our first jobs. Those jobs were our learning projects. So, do not make the mistake you made last year because we were very liberal the previous year.
‘’Then, there were things we allowed to go last year but this time around, if you commit those same mistakes, we will not approve your project. The supervision and monitoring of the projects will not be done by one person. We will have multiple people visiting you on the site.
‘’STOWASSA Team will supervise you, and the monitoring team will also monitor the performance of your job. Apart from the agency, you will also be monitored by the ministry and then you will also be monitored from Abuja before the World Bank will monitor you ultimately.
‘’Please, when they (World Bank) come to your site, let them not see reasons not to pay the state. This is because if you do not do the work to the standard as expected, Delta State stands to lose the money meant for the state. So, this is serious business’’ he said.
Remarking, the program coordinator of the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH), Dr Melody Ogwezzy, represented by Mr. Donald Ojobo commended STOWASSA for the training.
