FAcE-PaM Trains BASEPA Staff On Waste Management, Environmental Protection

Rauf Oyewole

A non-governmental organisation, Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FAcE-PaM) has trained staff of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) on effective management and regulation of public sanitation in the state.

The four-day capacity building session was funded by The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund through WaterAid Nigeria and implemented by FAcE-PaM. According to Programme Officer of The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund, Daniel Anietie said that his organisation is saddled with the responsibilities of strengthening the gap after an analysis was conducted a few months ago.

“We noticed that BASEPA is also having some gaps that need to be strengthened. This is as a result of the research that was conducted by a consultant. The gaps we have identified made us carry out certain activities. That is why we are holding this four-day training.

One of the deliverables is to see how we can strengthen BASEPA’s capacity on how they can go about waste management.

According to him, the participants were drawn from seven area offices of BASEPA which operate in the 20 local government areas.

One of the facilitators, a lecturer and consultant with the Bayero University, Kano, Suleiman Ahmad, in his presentation said that Bauchi faces growing sanitation challenges especially in urban and peri-urban areas.

He said that poor waste management leads to disease outbreaks, environmental degradation, and economic loss.

“This training equips BASEPA staff with practical tools to lead change and to ensure safely managed sanitation services in Bauchi State. They are being trained to protect public health and preserve environmental integrity

“The objectives of the training are to understand sanitation frameworks and global best practices. Learn hands-on techniques for waste collection, segregation, and disposal. Explore faecal sludge management and safety protocols. Strengthen BASEPA’s regulatory and operational capacity.”

BASEPA Coordinator Area Offices, Mrs. Asabe Simon, said that the Agency realised that the staff need to be on the same speed technological advancement, particularly those affecting their operation, hence the need for retraining of the personnel to further improve their skill to achieve a clean society.

One of the participants, Hadiza Mohammed commended the organisers for improving their skills on the work they do. She said the session has exposed her to understanding of feacal sludge management.