No going back on Water Resources Bill, Federal Government insists

The Federal Government has insisted that it will go ahead with the Water Resources Bill.

Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed told journalists that the bill was not designed to cause water wars in the country

Lai Mohammed said this at a joint press briefing with the Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu in Abuja.

He said the bill is a panacea to likely water conflicts in the country and that critics of the bill have either not read it or might be mischievous.

He said there is no hidden agenda behind the bill. He said it is not a subterfuge reintroduction of RUGA.

According to him , “There is nothing new about the National Water Resources Bill. This is because it is an amalgamation of Water Resources Laws that have been in existence for a long time. These are:

– Water Resources Act, Cap W2 LFN 2004

– The River Basin Development Authority Act, Cap R9 LFN 2004

– The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (Establishment) Act, Cap N1100A, LFN 2004

– National Water Resources Institute Act, Cap N83 LFN 2004

“So, why are the laws being re-packaged as the National Water Resources Bill 2020?

“The answer is that they are being re-enacted with necessary modifications to bring them in line with current global trends as well as best practices in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).

“The overall objective of this amalgamation is the efficient management of the Water Resources Sector for the economic development of Nigeria and the well-being of its citizens.

“The Bill provides for professional and efficient management of all surface and ground water for the use of the people (i.e. for domestic and non-domestic use, irrigation, agricultural purposes, generation of hydro-electric energy, navigation, fisheries and recreation).

“The Bill will ensure that the nation’s water resources are protected, used, developed, conserved, managed and controlled in a sustainable manner for the benefit of all persons.

“Critics contend that the Bill is aimed at taking the resources of a certain part of the country for the use of herders. In other words, the Federal Government is seeking to implement RUGA by subterfuge.

“We also want to state that the Bill is for the good of the nation, and has no hidden agenda whatsoever.”

The bill titled “A bill for an act to establish a regulatory framework for the water resources sector in Nigeria, provide for the equitable and sustainable development, management, use and conservation of Nigeria’s surface water and groundwater resources; and for related matters.” was a source of controversy in August beginning with NewsWireNGR’s deep dive, showing the various problematic areas on the proposed bill.

Read NewsWireNGR’s full report on the bill HERE

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