Commission adopts ADR to resolve water management disputes

The Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC) has announced its decision to adopt Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism to resolve water management disputes in the country.

Sakinatu Abbo-Jimeta, Acting Executive Director of NIWRMC, announced this at a workshop on Conflict Management for Enforcing the Water Resources Act in Abuja on Thursday.

According to her, ADR is more effective and efficient than traditional litigation, adding that it resolves disputes before they escalate.

Abbo-Jimeta said the workshop aimed to train participants in settling disputes through third-party engagement.

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She added that it offered a cost-effective and timely alternative to “time-wasting and expensive” litigation.

The NIWRMC boss said conflicts over water were inevitable, especially given its critical importance, stressing that ADR played a crucial role in managing such disputes.

“The workshop, a “train-the-trainer” initiative, is designed to equip instructors, who will later train staff within the organisation and in the field,” Abbo-Jimeta said.

Mr Rotimi Ojegbile, Director, Legal Unit, NIWRMC, also noted the relevance of ADR in the African context.

He explained that it had long been used in the region for resolving disputes through reconciliation and mediation.

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Ojegbile said that it was important to seek alternatives to litigation to avoid making disputes acrimonious.

He said the workshop was a crucial step toward enhancing water management conflict resolution and promoting nationwide collaboration.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NIWRMC’s mandate is to regulate, protect, conserve, and control water resources under the 2004 National Water Resources Act.