By YANGE IKYAA
The minister of state for water resources, and sanitation, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, has pledged the commitment of the ministry to collaborate with relevant stakeholders for the cleanup of Abuja’s Jabi Lake. Goronyo stated this at the weekend during a progress report presentation at the ministry’s conference room in Abuja.
The minister also expressed concern over the diminishing eco-hydrological value of the lake, attributing it to encroachment by miscreants and vandals. He further emphasized the urgency of halting unauthorized activities that are now threatening the water body and its ecosystem in order to preserve it for the purpose of meeting future water supply demands.
Highlighting the challenges faced by the ministry’s eco-hydrology research team, Goronyo stated that increased building structures around the lake have continued to hinder access to its shoreline. He however assured stakeholders of his commitment to reaching out and collaborating with relevant entities to address these threats and protect the lake.
Professor E.A. Adanu, Chairman of the Regional Center for Integrated River Basin Management, emphasized the importance of addressing identified threats and security challenges in the Jabi Lake area, while Dr. Sani Dauda Ahmed, the coordinator of training and education at RC-IRBM project desk office, provided updates on research and capacity building in eco-hydrology and integrated water resources management (IWRM) on Jabi Lake during his presentation.
Ahmed explained that Jabi Lake faces escalating threats due to the rapid increase in urbanization and socio-economic activities in its vicinity, adding that this also poses a significant risk to the lake and its delicate ecosystem.
However, he noted that recognizing the urgency of addressing these challenges has led to the adoption of eco-hydrology (EH) as a crucial strategy for Jabi Lake through integrating EH principles. He also stressed that there is a potential to gain valuable insights into the threats confronting the water body and devise effective approaches to mitigating or minimizing them.
According to him, the rationale for embracing eco-hydrology for Jabi Lake is multifaceted, and that firstly, it serves as a means to tackle the water resources management challenges that are impacting the lake and its surrounding ecosystems. Secondly, eco-hydrology remains instrumental in safeguarding and preserving the vital water resources of the lake to meet future demands.
He revealed that considering the lake’s role as a habitat for migratory birds, establishing Jabi Lake as a model for eco-hydrology in Nigeria becomes pivotal for knowledge exchange and briefings among water resources stakeholders.
Jabi Lake, chosen as Nigeria’s first Eco-hydrology demonstration site, faces threats that necessitate collaborative efforts for conservation. The Eco-hydrology program, supported by UNESCO, aims to integrate social, ecological, and hydrological research to develop effective policies for water resources management.
