By Tosin Kolade
Abuja – The Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), on Thursday called on the Federal Government to implement the provisions of the National Water Policy towards improving access to potable water.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the National Water Policy, National Irrigation Policy and a draft National Water Resources Bill.
Mr Leo Atakpu, NEWSAN National Coordinator, commended FEC for approving the policy, however, demanded for the immediate implementation in the country.
“It is good that FEC approved this; we need to see actions if we must have water piped into our homes, we don’t have a water policy yet, what was approved yesterday was just a roadmap.
“It is saddening that we don’t have a policy yet; the minister should expedite actions on giving Nigerians water policy, to guide actions of all stakeholders in the sector.
“Nigerians want to see water in their homes, especially urban water; our urban water systems are all collapsing, that is why we want to see the desired change soon,” he said.
Atakpu said partnership with development partners such as the EU and World Bank have yielded results in states, but called for continuous collaborations.
He urged the Federal; state and local governments to provide adequate water for the citizens, saying the provision of safe water and basic sanitation should come first.
Rev. Fr. Rapheal Aborisade, the Coordinator of Justice and Peace Commission, urged the Federal Government to repair derelict water facilities across the country, as part as part of efforts to implement the roadmap.
Aborisade said that the large number of broken-down water facilities across the country was a major hindrance to effective water supply to the people.
He said that the development has also been militating against the country’s desire to meet the MDGs and SDGs targets on water and sanitation by 2030.
Mr Hope Ogbeide, Director, Society for Water and Public Protection, called for immediate implementation of the roadmap, by making tangible efforts to provide potable water and good sanitation facilities for Nigerians.
Ogbeide said water and sanitation was interrelated, stressed the need for all tiers of government to make access to these facilities a necessity.
NAN recalls that the Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, had told newsmen that the bill was meant to streamline the use and management of water in the country.
According to him, the National Water Policy seeks to provide strategies that will improve the management and delivery of water resources in the country.
He said the National Water Resources Bill was also meant to consolidate all the existing laws which included the Water Resources Act, the River Basin Development Authority Act, the National Water Resources Institute Act, the National Hydrological Service Act amongst others.
The minister stated all the Acts were being put together to form a National Water law that conformed to international standard and international best practices.
Edited by Felix Ajide