By YANGE IKYAA
The Federal Government has said that the laudable flagship projects and programmes implemented through the federal ministry of water resources has undeniably resulted in improved access to water for a variety of applications and improvements in the Water Sanitation and Hygiene Sector.
The minister of water resources, Suleiman Adamu, said this on Thursday January 19 in Sokoto, while delivering his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 29th regular meeting of the National Council on Water Resources (NCWR), with the theme: “Actualizing Sustainable Development Goal-6: Prospects and Challenges.”
He further said that access to safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene is a basic human need for good health and well-being which is in line with achieving Sustainable Development Goal-6 by the target year of 2030.
Adamu noted that the meeting of the National Council on Water Resources will afford members the opportunity to evaluate progress made in the water sector and take remedial measures that will help to meet the SDG-6 target.
To achieve this, he called for a review of strategic plans towards ensuring available and sustainable management of Water and Sanitation for all.
He also noted that Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) and the World Bank assisted Sustainable Urban Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) are contributing to improvement in public health and eradication of poverty in Nigeria, with a view to achieving SDG Targets 6.1 and 6.2 in the rural areas.
This, he said, is also resulting in sanitation improvement in urban areas, small towns and rural areas, while strengthening sector institutions in the participating states . The minister added that, over the years, the ministry has constructed 260 dams by successive governments over the years and impounded 34bcm of bulk water in dam reservoirs for multi-purpose use, including water supply, sanitation, irrigation, and hydropower generation, among others.
In order to sustain these gains, Adamu called for effective collaboration amongst stakeholders in the water sector, particularly between the three tiers of government, to holistically harness the rich potentials of the country and maximize the benefits of the huge capital investments in the completed dams, including water supply and irrigation infrastructure nationwide.
He emphasized that ensuring the passage of the National Water Resources Bill into law will contribute to improved management of Nigerian water resources and the proper harnessing of both surface and groundwater to support the nation’s socio-economic needs.
On ending open defecation in Nigeria by the target year of 2025, the water resources minister said his ministry has since 2019 embarked on a nationwide campaign through the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign and stressed that as at December 2022, only Jigawa State and 100 local government areas nationwide have been certified open defecation free.
He expressed appreciation to Sokoto State government for hosting the 29th Regular Meeting of the National Council of Water Resources.
The governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who was represented by the secretary to the Sokoto State government, Mallam Mai Nasara Ahmad, said that the governor and the good people of Sokoto were delighted to host the 29th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Water Resources.
In his welcome address, the Sokoto State commissioner of water resources, Dahiru Yusuf Yabo, said that the theme of the event wae apt and in tandem with the Sokoto State government’s policies and programmes on the provision of sustainable, affordable and portable safe water to the people of the state.
The opening ceremony of 29th National Council on Water Resources witnessed the presence of very eminent personalities, including commissioners of state ministries of water resources, thier permanent secretaries, traditional rulers led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Dr. Sa’ad Abubakar III, directors from the federal ministry of water eesources, managing directors of River Basin Development Authorities and other staff, development partners and key stakeholders in the water resources sector.
