Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), is targeting 20 thousand people living around watershed areas for increase access to water, security and resilience in Bauchi and Cross River states.

The five year project tagged, Watershed Protection for Safe and Sustainable Water Supply, is aimed at strengthening long term access to portable water and reduce levels of waterborne diseases in the benefiting communities.

Speaking at a one day stakeholders workshop in Bauchi the WCS Country Director, Mr Andrew Dunn explained that about 137 communities with 25 thousand households at Pai River in Alkaleri and Cross River watershed would be direct beneficiaries.

According to Radio Nigeria, Mr Andrew Dunn noted that USAID has earmarked 20 million dollars for the projects and the state governments to provide matching support throughout the period of the Programme.

In a presentation, the Project Manager Mr Nura Yusuf Ahmad said it is estimated that 70 percent of new diseases originate from wildlife hence the need to improve provisions of safe water and gender responsive facilities.

The Programme Manager Partners for Development PfD Mr Simeon Nyiakaa said the Programme is to address five key problem of portable water, sanitation and hygiene, awareness campaign as well as capacity building.

Earlier, the Caretake Committee Chairman Alkaleri local government Alhaji Bala Ibrahim who commended WCS for the Project promised to protect them for the benefit of future generations.

In an interview, the District Head of Yelwan Duguri Alhaji Adamu Muhammad pledged traditional rulers commitment to support all government policies and programmes to past tract development in the area.

The workshop which drew participants from all relevant ministries departments and agencies as well as CSOs and the Media is being implemented by WCS Nigeria with support by USAID.