The Minister of Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman Hussaini Adamu, said the Federal Government has inaugurated a policy document on ‘Water Use and License Regulation’ to manage the nation’s water resources.
Sulaiman Adamu said this at a workshop on ‘National Water Resources Policy on Integrated Water Resources Management in Nigeria’ which was held in Abuja.
He said that the major challenges in the water sector included poor data base management, fragmented sectoral development and uncoordinated water resources management.
Alhaji Suleiman Hussaini Adamu
Represented by Director, Water Supply in the ministry, Mr. Benson Ajisegiri, the minister said the government was committed to re-positioning the water sector through the Water Resources Policy of Nigeria.
He said that the policy spelt out government’s philosophy and objectives for the nation’s freshwater and non-freshwater, including strategies for meeting these set goals.
The minister said the Federal Executive Council has approved the National Water Resources Policy and Strategy on September 28, 2016, setting out clear objectives, goals and targets for the water sector in Nigeria.
“By this policy, the water resources management and development in Nigeria has been re-engineered to achieve socio-economic and environmental sustainability,” he said.
Also speaking, Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Mr. Laoye Jaiyeola said there was the need for private sector participation in re-positioning the water sector in the country.
He said private sector participation would help investments, boost water governance and also ensure effective use of water resources to the benefit of all Nigerians.
Similarly, Representative of European Union (EU) Delegation in Nigeria, Mr. Peter DeVillez said the organisation had been supporting reform in the sanitation and water sector in the country.
Accordingly, Executive Director, Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management, Mr. Reuben Habu, said the formulation of the policy was targeted at giving direction to government’s set goals for the water sector.
