Northern Regions: Gov’t launches ambitious SEWASH Project to expand water access.

The project is expected to transform the lives of thousands of households living in some of the country’s most water-stressed communities in the Adamawa, North and Far North Regions.

The steering committee meeting, chaired in Yaounde by the Minister of Water Resources and Energy, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, brought together the Director General of Cameroon Water Utilities Corporation, CAMWATER, Dr Blaise Moussa.

Also present were representatives of the World Bank, government officials and technical partners to assess the project’s roadmap and approve its first implementation documents.

Backed by financing of 184.9 million euros under the World Bank’s IDA Credit No. 7785-CM, the SEWASH Project, officials disclosed, will run from 2025 to 2030. 

The project, it was added, seeks to strengthen water security, expand access to safe drinking water and sanitation services and reinforce institutional capacities through the promotion of Integrated Water Resources Management, IWRM.

According to officials, government’s decision to prioritise the Northern regions is part of an urgent need to address longstanding challenges in regions where limited access to potable water and sanitation continues to affect public health, education and socio-economic development. 

The investment, we gathered, is expected to improve living conditions while supporting sustainable development in communities that are particularly vulnerable to water scarcity and climate-related pressures.

One of the flagship components of the first phase is the construction of 103 mini-drinking water supply systems powered by solar energy. 

The systems, officials said, will comprise productive boreholes, elevated water tanks, distribution networks, public standpipes and dedicated water connections for schools, health centres and other community institutions.

For authorities, the solar-powered infrastructure will provide a reliable and environmentally sustainable solution for rural communities, reducing dependence on traditional water sources while improving the availability of clean drinking water throughout the year.

Speaking during the meeting, the member of government noted that the sanitation component is equally ambitious. The project provides for the construction of 2,900 ecological institutional latrines across schools, healthcare facilities, markets, churches and mosques. 

The facilities are expected to improve hygiene standards, reduce the spread of waterborne diseases and contribute to better public health outcomes across the three regions.

Closing the meeting, Minister Gaston Eloundou Essomba called for sustained commitment from all stakeholders, stressing that the success of SEWASH will depend on strict adherence to timelines, transparent management of resources, sound governance and a strong culture of accountability. 

We gathered that beyond infrastructure development, SEWASH also includes a strong planning and governance dimension.

Several strategic studies are scheduled, including the preparation of a Rural Drinking Water Supply Master Plan, a Liquid Sanitation Master Plan, and studies on faecal sludge treatment plants for the northern regions, and additional assessments on hillside dams aimed at improving water resource mobilisation.

During the steering committee session, the Project Management Unit Coordinator, Prof Barthélemy Ndongo, and the Coordinator of the Technical Execution Unit at CAMWATER, outlined the project’s objectives, implementation strategy, institutional framework and the progress already made since activities began.

Committee members at the end of the session, reviewed and approved the project’s Annual Work Plan and Budget as well as the Procurement Plan after extensive discussions aimed at strengthening implementation.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3840 of Tuesday July 07, 2026