Bill to improve availability of potable water gets legislature support

The  House of Representatives has assured it will  work on the new Draft Water Resources Bill to make it effective,  Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources, Aliyu Patigi, said on Tuesday.

The Bill which is expected to improve access to potable water in the country even as statistics from the federal ministry of water resources revealed  that 50 million Nigerians lack access to potable water.

Patigi, who said this at the 23rd regular meeting of the National Council on Water Resources (NCWR), explained that the House had to bring all water Bills together under a Draft Water Resources Bill for quick passage.

According to the federal law maker, the new bill would address the issue of poor funding of the sector as well as share responsibilities between the three tiers of government.

Patigi said: “It is all encompassing. It includes the reenactment of all the bills in the Senate, from the River Basin Development Authority. They are now brought under one bill called the draft water resources bill.

“We intend to use the next one to two months to finish the enactment of that bill in the House of Representative. I can assure you that issues relating to the management of water resources between the components part of our government – local, state as well as the federal government will be taken into consideration.

“The bill contains critical areas of interventions. It also spells out the responsibilities between each tier of government and for the first time, we are going to have community participation in managing water resources at every single level.

“It also spells out the responsibility with regards to how this sector is going to be funded both at the national level as well as what is required of states when it comes to funding.”

Patigi, lamented that poor funding was affecting the sector, assuring the Federal Ministry of Water Resources that the House would continue to push for adequate funding of the sector.

Earlier in his submission, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Babatope Ajakaiye, called for collaboration in tackling water challenges affecting Nigeria.

“Appropriate water management requires collaboration. We must put in place policies, regulations and interventions which support sustainable management of water resources.”

 

Harrison Edeh