Health
Plateau strengthens environmental governance, improves sanitation service
By James Abraham
The Plateau State Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency has commenced the development of two landmark institutional frameworks aimed at strengthening environmental governance and improving sanitation service delivery across the state.
Arewa PUNCH gathered that the initiative, launched during a meeting at the Agency’s headquarters in Jos on Monday, will produce the Plateau State Social and Behaviour Change Communication, Guidelines and the Standard Operating Procedures, for PEPSA Operations.
The assignment is being led by Lead Technical Consultant, Herbert Gomagallah Daniel.
According to PEPSA, the two documents are expected to become “foundational policy and operational instruments that will standardise sanitation communication, strengthen institutional systems, improve staff efficiency, and position PEPSA as one of Nigeria’s leading environmental management agencies.”`
Speaking at the launch, the Director General of PEPSA, Samuel Nathaniel Dapiya, described the consultancy as a major institutional reform, saying,
“The SBCC guidelines would provide the Agency with a practical and evidence-based framework for influencing positive sanitation behaviours among households, schools, businesses, markets, transport operators, institutions, and communities across Plateau State.”
Dapiya pointed out that infrastructure and enforcement alone can not guarantee lasting results, even as he observed that, “Experience has shown that sustainable environmental sanitation cannot be achieved through infrastructure development and law enforcement alone. Rather, lasting impact depends on the willingness of people to adopt healthier practices and make environmental responsibility part of their daily lives.”
The DG explained that the new guidelines would “standardise sanitation messaging, improve collaboration among stakeholders, strengthen community participation, and ensure that communication strategies are culturally appropriate, inclusive, and tailored to different audiences.”
He added that once completed, the SBCC Guidelines would become “an integral part of PEPSA’s operations, guiding sanitation campaigns, staff orientation, programme implementation, and future environmental interventions across the state.”
On the SOPs, Dapiya said the exercise aims at building stronger systems within the Agency, stressing that, “The SOPs would document institutional knowledge, establish clear operational procedures, improve accountability, define responsibilities, strengthen collaboration among departments, and create standardised processes that would continue to guide the Agency irrespective of changes in personnel.”
While maintaining the need to build “an institution driven by systems rather than individuals, where every process is clearly documented, every responsibility is defined, and every service is delivered consistently and professionally,” Dapiya charged staff to cooperate fully with the consultants.
“The exercise is not intended to evaluate past performance but to strengthen institutional capacity and improve service delivery for the benefit of the people of Plateau State,” he reminded the people.
Presenting the consultancy approach, the Lead Technical Consultant Herbert Gomagallah Daniel said the process would be “participatory and evidence-driven” to ensure the documents reflect “the operational realities of PEPSA and the unique environmental context of Plateau State.”
He assured that the team would engage “management, technical departments, field officers, local government representatives, development partners, community stakeholders, and other relevant actors through consultations, interviews, workshops, document reviews, and validation sessions.”
According to Daniel, the SBCC Guidelines will “establish a unified framework for behaviour change communication capable of transforming sanitation from a government-driven enforcement activity into a shared social responsibility embraced by citizens.”
The Lead Technical Consultant maintained that the SOPs will “simplify workflows, clarify operational procedures, improve coordination across departments, strengthen accountability, and provide staff with practical tools and standards that enhance service delivery.”
The consultant highlighted that when institutionalised, both frameworks would “not only improve PEPSA’s internal efficiency but also strengthen public confidence, support evidence-based decision-making, and ensure greater consistency in sanitation programming across the state.”
Our correspondent further gathered that the consultancy will also cover “staff capacity development, production of implementation tools, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, simplified operational guides, and validation processes to ensure ownership and sustainability.”
Meanwhile, PEPSA has insisted that the development of the SBCC Guidelines and SOPs represents “one of the most comprehensive institutional strengthening initiatives undertaken by PEPSA in recent years.”
Upon completion, the Agency expects to have “standardised communication systems, harmonised operational procedures, stronger stakeholder engagement mechanisms, improved coordination with ministries, departments and agencies, local government councils, traditional and religious institutions, civil society organisations, schools, markets, and the media, as well as enhanced capacity to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate sanitation interventions.”
The initiative, it is further maintained, aligns with the Plateau State Government’s commitment to “improving environmental governance, advancing public health, promoting sustainable sanitation practices, and contributing to the achievement of national sanitation objectives and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.”
As a result, PEPSA declared that it expects the resulting frameworks to serve “not only as institutional guides for the Agency but also as reference models for environmental sanitation and behaviour change communication across Nigeria, reinforcing Plateau State’s position as a leader in sustainable environmental management under the leadership of Director General Samuel Nathaniel Dapiya.”
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