Estimated reading time: 16 minute(s)
Despite opposition by some stakeholders, the Federal Government has said it had resolved to ensure the passage of the controversial Water Resources Bill.
The government said the thrust of the Bill is for the government to be the custodian and in charge of all interstate water bodies.
Water Resources Minister Suleiman Adamu stated the government’s position on the Bill in his presentation at the seventh edition of “PMB Administration Scorecard series (2015-2023) yesterday in Abuja.
The National Water Bill is still pending in the House of Representatives, following its reintroduction for passage in June 2022.
When it was listed in the Order Paper for first reading, House members opposed it.
Adamu said the Bill is structured as a compendium of existing Acts to actualise the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) strategies stipulated in the National Water Resources Policy.
The Bill, the minister said, is designed to provide the required instrument needed to support efficient management of the nation’s water resources and accelerate the contribution of the Water sector to national development.
He added that the Bill also addresses the problem of proliferated groundwater exploitation without due consideration of its implication on the ecosystem.
“It will help to check unbridled pollution of water bodies and its threat to human health and the environment,” Adamu said.
Highlighting the salient features of the Bill, the minister said these include:
Public trusteeship of water: The right to the use, management and control of all surface water and ground water affecting more than one state pursuant to Item 64 of the Exclusive Legislative List and provided in the First Schedule to this Act is vested in the Government of the Federation.
Section 3. Entitlement to use water: Protects the right of persons to use water for domestic purposes without charge and recognises the right of a holder of customary or statutory right of occupancy to access water for personal and household use but not for commercial purposes (taken from S2 of the extant WRA Act).
The minister said the Bill codifies the National Council for Water Resources as the highest policy body for water resources in the country.
It also codifies the powers of the minister while providing for broad oversight but disaggregates erstwhile powers to institutions and the citizenry.
The Bill further codifies the framework for commercial borehole regulation by incorporating the regulators at state level while providing a universal countrywide regulatory framework and standards. (Ref: existing code by the NWRI and the SON that is not being implemented by the NWRI)
Adamu said the Bill establishes a regulatory commission with the objective to regulate, protect, conserve and control water resources identified in this Bill as water sources crossing state boundaries and provides extensive procedural guidance on the functions of the commission;
The Bill re-establishes the RBDA as purely a service provider subject to regulations of the Regulator in their activities and removing overlaps in mandates;
It also re-establishes NIHSA as a sector agency without change in existing provision and providing funding for research.
The minister said the Bill codifies the strategy to be adopted by all at federal and states levels for the implementation of the National Water Resources development strategy;
Codifies data management, sector monitoring and information sharing and management among all stakeholders;
Makes compulsory public consultation and publication among all sector institutions;
Establishes the National Water and Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Fund by which the Federal Government and other sources provide financing for state water supply and sanitation projects and programmes; and
Provides in its schedule the first of water sources covered by the Bill (the same as currently exist in the WRA).
Adamu said the government had concluded all necessary things about the Bill for its passage.
The minister said the government had taken care of all concerns raised by Nigerians while experts had done their part.
According to him, in line with Mr. President’s directive to actively collaborate with the private sector to create a large number of well-paying jobs for Nigerian youths, the ministry has increased the number of jobs created from 8,882 in 2019 to over 16,648 in 2022.
Adamu said the ministry had also empowered 626,642 persons in 2019 to over 1,227,477 persons in 2022 towards the realisation of Mr. President’s June 12 promise to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.
The minister listed water projects that were ready for inauguration to include Patigi Water Supply Project, Patigi, Kwara State; ABU Zaria Water Supply Project, Zaria, Kaduna State; Ezealakpaka Water Supply Project, Mbano, Imo State; Damaturu Water Supply Project LOT B, Damaturu, Yobe State; Damaturu Water Supply Project LOT C, Damaturu, Yobe State; Gashua Water Supply Project LOT A, Gashua, Yobe State.
Others include Akanu Water Supply Project, Ohafia, Abia State; Uburu Water Supply Project, Ohaozala, Ebonyi State; Nasarawa Water Supply Project, Nasarawa State; Kashimbilla Multipurpose Dam, Taraba State; Gari Irrigation Project, Kano and Jigawa states; Dadin Kowa Hydropower Station, Gombe State; and Amla-Otukpo Dam, Benue State.
Adamu said there are hundreds of projects that have been completed by the River Basin.
The minister noted that pre-2015 landscape of Nigeria’s Water Resources sector was one dotted with multitudes of abandoned and uncompleted projects.
He said 116 Water Supply, Dams, Hydropower, and Irrigation projects were inherited, several uncompleted or abandoned, some of which construction started since the 1980s.
Adamu listed such abandoned projects to include Hadejia Valley Irrigation Project in Jigawa State; Zobe Water Supply Project in Katsina State; Gari Dam and Irrigation Project in Kano/Jigawa states; and Kontagora-Auna Dam and Irrigation Project, which started since 1987.
According to him, upon assumption of office in 2015, the ministry resolved to effectively develop the Water Sector.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
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