Water Resources Bill To Boost National Economy – Minister
Hikmat Bamigboye, Abuja
Nigeria’s Minister of Water Resources, Mr. Suleiman Adamu, has said that the Water Resources Bill currently before the National Assembly, NASS is will boost the national economy and not take away authority from Nigerians.
Mr Adamu said that contrary to the willful misrepresentation by those who are unfamiliar with the measure, the bill was created to handle both the country’s present and future water needs.
The Minister said this while fielding questions with journalists in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital, where he expressed his dissatisfaction that some members of the public had deliberately turned the law into a political issue in an effort to mislead Nigerians.
The Minister added that it will not be dissuaded by activities of detractors sponsoring false narratives against the passage of the National Water Resources Bill.
“The bill which triggered controversy in the National Assembly between 2017 and 2020 has now been re-presented for consideration Some individuals misinterpreted this bill to mean that the proposed law as a plot to grab the waterways and hand same to Fulani pastoralists” Adamu said
According to him, “there is nowhere in the bill that the federal government would take over land from any community, not even an inch of land as said by some group”
The Minister added that the bill further reduces the power of the Ministers and delegates them to the various commissions to manage National Water Resources.
“We will not be deterred, we will continue to remain focused and I have to say at the end of the day, it is not the color of the article or the false narratives in the media, we are not mindful of the antics of the antagonism against this bill, but we remain committed and focused, while keeping our eyes on the ball to ensure that we do all that is necessary for the benefit of Nigerians. The sponsored articles against this bill will not determine the decision of the National Assembly’’ the Minister said.
Adamu restated that it is crucial for Nigeria and Nigerians to educate themselves on the overall benefits of the bill, saying that meeting the sustainable development goals on water and sanitation was tied to it.
The Minister stressed that Nigeria must seek alternative sources of funding to Water Resources sector, saying reliance on development partners was not sustainable.
He noted that no city in the country enjoyed uninterrupted pipe borne water.
A Water Resources Expert, Mrs Tanwa Koya, said legal framework of the National Water Resources Bill was not different from the country’s constitutional provisions, she added that in 2006 the first draft of the bill was subjected to consultation across the country.
A Water Resources Consultant, Mr Benson Ajisegiri, identified that the passage of the bill was an opportunity for rapid acceleration to pool funds towards meeting the sustainable development goals.
She added that the media had a huge role to disseminate accurate information to the citizens, saying this would curb the misinformation going around.
