The Federal Ministry of water resources has identified an increased demand for water due to population growth as problems confronting the development and management of the nation’s water resources
Permanent secretary, federal ministry of water resources, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack made this known in Ibadan at a southwest stakeholders engagement on the 2013 national water resources master plan implementation.
Mrs Walson-Jack who also highlighted climate change and uneven distribution of rainfall across the country however explained that the Federal government was sensitizing relevant stakeholders to implement the 2013 water Master plan.
She said the first water resources master plan for the country in 1995 recorded setbacks due to lack of political will and weak implementation structure, hence the need for the stakeholder’s sensitization workshop on the new plan.
Mrs Walson-Jack explained that the new plan focuses to achieve management and monitoring of water resources for agricultural production, food security and adequate provision of safe water.
While noting that the ministry had earlier organized similar sensitizations in Kano and Sokoto states, Mrs Walson-Jack explained that the stakeholders would be intimated on the need for Nigeria to consent to the United Nation’s water Convention.
She appealed to states, local governments, development partners and end-users to collaborate with the Federal government to ensure successful accession to the UN water convention.
Reacting to two of the participants, Mr Michael Ale and chairman, Oyo state rural water supply, Mr Najeem Omirinde advised the Federal Government to include in the plan, measures to check the indiscriminate drilling of Borehole.
The participants also called for the need to review the 2013 water plan to allow it to meet the current reality on the ground.
Mosope Kehinde