Nigeria is losing seven billion naira annually to the non-passage of the Water Resources Bill.
Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu who was represented by Executive Director, National Integrated Water Resource Management Commission Magashi Bashir, made this known during a media chat in Abuja. He however described the non-passage of the bill as a setback to the nation’s economic growth, noting that Nigeria is losing about 6 billion to 9 billion naira annually to the non-passage of the bill, which would have given legal teeth to the water sub-sector for optimal performance like other sectors.
Adamu therefore called on Nigerians to advance beyond ethnicity and ethnic politics to better regulate the water sector, as the country stands to gain a lot if the sector is properly organised.
The Minister also observed that most sectors are being regularised but regretted that the water sector, which according to him is the most important, remains neglected.
Also, The House of Representatives has called on the Ministry of Transportation and its agencies to enforce safety regulations in waterways across the country. This was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Ahmed Munir at the plenary on Tuesday. Munir, while moving the motion, noted that water transportation had a long history in Nigeria, saying however, that the waterways have become dangerous with reports of over 300 fatalities in the country in2020.
He explained that over 100 deaths were recorded between May and September 2021 in waterways in Nigeria, adding that boat accidents in the Nigerian waterways were caused by overloading, lack of maintenance, speeding, careless sailing and bad weather.
