PROPERTY TRANSACTION GUIDE

New blueprint on water resources management out soon - FG
By Emeka Ezekiel, Abuja

Punch, Monday 24th May 2010

The Federal Government has said that it will soon roll out a new blueprint that will guide the management of the country‘s water resources.

The Minister of Water Resources, Mr. Ando Obadiah, disclosed this at an emergency meeting of the National Council on Water Resources in Abuja.

He said that the Federal Government had already begun the review of the National Water Resources Management Policy, adding that efforts were being intensified towards ensuring its timely completion.

He noted that the implementation of the new policy would enhance the sustainable development of the country‘s water resources and also bridge the gap in water supply across the country.

According to Obadiah, "A new National Water Resources Management Policy is being developed. This is the bedrock of the review of the Water Resources Decree 101 and the promulgation of a new Nigerian Water Law. Efforts are being made to promptly finalise the policy for submission to the Federal Executive Council for approval.

"At this critical time, we don‘t want to bring a policy from top down. That is why we want to consult with all the stakeholders so that they will participate in drawing up the new blueprint. Currently, what we have as a blueprint is in a draft form. We intend to include the input from all Nigerians in order to come up with an acceptable and workable blueprint.

"There is no doubt that the large amount of rainfall, streams, lakes, underground water, lagoon and the sea within and around our country create a tendency to believe albeit erroneously that there is availability of water. The true position is that there is scarcity of wholesome drinking water for people in our country."

He said there was an urgent need for the provision of better access to potable water and intensified irrigation activities. He said there should be improved sanitation facilities and reduction of pollution of both surface and ground water."

He stressed that the Federal Government would partner with the state and local governments, as well as non-governmental organisations to ensure adequate provision of potable water to rural and urban areas by the year 2015.

He said, " The objective of the Presidential Initiative on provision of potable water is for all state capitals and three-quarters of urban and semi-urban areas and two-thirds of the rural communities to have access to safe drinking water and sanitation by the year 2015"

In his opening address, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr.Ahmed Yayale, said Nigeria needed to adopt a new policy and management framework in order to tackle the problem of water scarcity across the country adding that the Federal was ready to provide adequate funding to address the problem.

He said, " The water supply sector in Nigeria is at its turning point . Unless new and productive approaches to its management and adequate systems are developed, the sector‘s performance will deteriorate further and may lead to the existing facilities. There is therefore urgent need for reform that will set out coherent policies to guide the management of water resources, efficient provision of potable water supply and sanitation facilities supported by the strategies to ensure their implementation, thus providing the road map to a new drive in the sector.

" Statistics indicate that the country is far from meeting the nation‘s water supply and demand despite the investment by the various arms of the government and external agencies. The Federal Government is interested in funding the sector to ensure that all Nigerians have access to clean water. The government is also willing to create the enabling environment for the private sector participation in the development of water resources in the country."