By Tosin Kolade
Abuja – The Federal Ministry of Water Resources on Friday inaugurated the National Water Resources Information System to promote effective data gathering and water resources development.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the N200 million World Bank-funded programme has its replica in six River Basin Development Authorities, representing the six geopolitical zones.
The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, said the establishment of the centre would greatly support the ministry’s policy formulation and development, and also facilitate efficient water development and management.
According to him, lack of data is one of the leading causes of poor water resources management and low innovation in the sector.
“The cumbersomeness in data availability and accessibility, which hitherto has been the case, would be adequately addressed while the personalisation of information would be discouraged.
“In this new dispensation, the ministry will also be free from the challenge of institutional memory loss which has repeatedly created information gaps and vacuum in the system.
“And deny the nation the opportunity for a robust and sustainable development,” he said.
Adamu called for strengthened collaboration among the departments in the ministry, saying there had been a renewed hope towards ensuring project planning and implementations.
Earlier, the Director, Water Supply in the ministry, Mr Benson Ajisegiri, said the establishment of the centre was premised on the need to facilitate evidence-based planning, development and management of the nation’s water resources.
He said the initiative, which started three years ago, had a mandate to provide credible and timely data for planning, design and construction and operation of water projects.
Mr Onuoha Nnachi, a consultant of Feedback Infrastructure Services, said the non-availability of reliable data bank hampered prompt decision making in the country.
Nnachi said there was the need for collaboration from all sectors of the ministry to promote effective planning and overall development in the sector. (NAN)