ADDIS ABABA – The Federal Government says 75 per cent of Nigerians will have access to potable drinking water by 2015 as part of effort to meet the Millennium Development Goal seven target (MDG7).
Nigeria’s Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Addis Ababa.
She said that the Federal Government was collaborating with other stakeholders to realise the objective before the expiration of the MDGs 2015 target.
Ochekpe said so far, 65 per cent of Nigerians had access to potable drinking water through various collaborations with states and local governments as well as other stakeholders in the sector.
According to her, internal analysis of the water ministry and its agencies shows that the country has so achieved 65 per cent and the balance of 10 per cent will be attained before the expiration of MDGs targets in 2015.
She said while various state governments were expanding their water schemes, the Federal Government was also stepping up its iintervention in addition to the ongoing MDGs water schemes, International Development Partners and other donor agencies projects.
Ochekpe said apart from the various government’s interventions, there were also faith based organisations and individuals establishing small and medium water schemes for the benefit of communities in different parts of the country.
“We currently have about 32 billion cubic metres of water in some 200 dams across various parts of the country.
“Last year, we had constructed over 1,000 bore holes and another 1,000 had been captured for this year as part of the Federal Government intervention programme for rural water supply.”
Meanwhile, available data showed that between 1990 and 2010, more than two billion people gained access to improved drinking water sources, indicating a rise of the proportion of people using an improved water source from 76 per cent in 1990 to 89 per cent in 2010. (NAN)
