In line with the directive of the World Bank and the Federal Programme Coordinating Unit (FPCU), the Delta State Government has held a two-day retreat under the Nigeria Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) Programme to strengthen the delivery of water, sanitation and hygiene services across the State.
The retreat took place in Abuja on Thursday, 18 December and Friday, 19 December 2025, and brought together key officials involved in the implementation of the SURWASH Programme in Delta State.
The programme, themed “Work Plan Review and Peer Learning,” followed a National SURWASH Retreat held earlier in Niger State, where States were directed to review their plans, learn from one another, and prepare better for the next stage of programme implementation.
Speaking at the opening of the retreat, the Acting State Programme Coordinator, Engr. Clement Adiotomre, said the meeting was important to ensure that Delta State remains focused on achieving real and measurable improvements in water supply, sanitation and hygiene services. He stressed the need for proper planning, wise use of resources, teamwork among agencies, and readiness for external assessments.
Activities on the first day focused on reviewing Delta State’s 2026 SURWASH work plan. Participants included officials from the State Programme Coordinating Unit, Delta State Urban Water Regulatory Commission, the three Implementing Agencies, the Ministry of Water Resources Development, and representatives of the Federal Programme Coordinating Unit.
Participants worked in groups to carefully go through planned activities, identify gaps, remove repeated or unnecessary actions, and ensure that each activity clearly supports improved services for communities. Support was provided by the Federal Programme Coordinating Unit, led by its Monitoring and Evaluation expert, Mr. Tony Agwuma.
On the second day, the retreat featured an interactive session with the Independent Verification Agents, who explained how progress under the programme is assessed. A representative of the World Bank, who spoke virtually, encouraged States to learn from past experiences, improve coordination, and ensure that all required information is properly prepared and submitted on time.
The verification team explained that the process is meant to measure progress fairly across all States and not to punish any State. Discussions highlighted the need for better coordination among State teams, local governments, and implementing agencies, as well as strong community involvement, especially in efforts to end open defecation.
The retreat ended with a peer learning session where Delta State reviewed the work plans of other States and also received feedback from peer States such as Plateau and Kaduna. This exercise helped participants learn good practices, identify common challenges, and improve the quality of planning.
At the end of the retreat, participants agreed to update the State work plan based on lessons learned, improve coordination among agencies, make better use of available resources, and submit the revised plan within the approved timelines.
Overall, the retreat marked an important step in strengthening Delta State’s preparedness to deliver better water, sanitation and hygiene services to its people under the SURWASH Programme.