The Plateau State Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency (PEPSA) has commenced the development of two major institutional frameworks designed to strengthen environmental governance and enhance sanitation service delivery across Plateau State.

The initiative, which was launched during a meeting at the agency’s headquarters in Jos on Monday, will lead to the development of the Plateau State Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Guidelines and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for PEPSA Operations.

The consultancy is being led by Lead Technical Consultant, Herbert Gomagallah Daniel.

According to PEPSA, both documents are expected to serve as “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 during the launch, PEPSA Director General, Samuel Nathaniel Dapiya, described the assignment as a significant institutional reform.

He said, “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 noted that sustainable sanitation requires more than infrastructure development and regulatory enforcement.

He observed, “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.”

According to the Director General, the proposed guidelines will “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 finalised, 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.”

Addressing the Standard Operating Procedures, Dapiya explained that the initiative is intended to reinforce the agency’s internal systems.

He said, “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.”

Reaffirming the agency’s institutional vision, Dapiya stressed the importance of building “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,” while urging staff to cooperate fully with the consulting team.

He also reminded personnel that “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.”

Presenting the implementation methodology, Lead Technical Consultant Herbert Gomagallah Daniel said the assignment would adopt a “participatory and evidence-driven” process to ensure the resulting documents reflect “the operational realities of PEPSA and the unique environmental context of Plateau State.”

Daniel assured stakeholders that the consultancy 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.”

He explained that the SBCC Guidelines are intended to “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.”

Daniel further stated 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.”

According to the consultant, institutionalising 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.”

Findings by Arewa PUNCH also revealed that the consultancy will include “staff capacity development, production of implementation tools, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, simplified operational guides, and validation processes to ensure ownership and sustainability.”

PEPSA maintained that developing 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 the initiative to deliver “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 agency also said the initiative 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.”

Source: PUNCH