The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, says the proposed Water Resources Control Act will ensure that every Nigerian has access to water.
The House of Representatives had, on September 29, withdrawn the bill which it passed over two months ago.
The withdrawal was sequel to the adoption of a Matter of Privilege raised by Benjamin Mzondu (PDP-Benue) who argued that the bill ought to be gazetted for reconsideration.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja weekend, Adamu said his ministry was working to take care of the concerns raised in the bill and work with all stakeholders to ensure that when it is represented, it gets the nod of all lawmakers.
He said misinformation and falsehood had trailed the bill.
“The bill will ensure that the federal government is in charge of water crossing across states to prevent infringement on the right of users downstream. In fact, those in the downstream are the biggest beneficiaries of the bill. Every domestic and individual user of water has a right to be protected and the bill only intends to control unwholesome commercial use of water.
“If we don’t monitor and control ground water and surface water, we will jeopardize the right of future generations. There is need for national guidelines on how boreholes are drilled in the country, including issuing licenses to drillers, and to control all drilling activities in the country’’.
He said stakeholders in the six geopolitical zones and professional bodies had been consulted, a public hearing held and the legislation passed by the House of Representatives in the previous government without controversy.
“The bill was presented to the Senate in 2018 and some senators asked questions. A committee was set up to appraise the bill in the Senate. The 2019 election disrupted plans to represent the bill in the Senate. In August 2019, I was returned as minister and I continued to pursue the passage of the bill’’, Adamu said.
