Permanent secretary, Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi, has called on states of the federation and communities to develop a conscious maintenance culture to safeguard water infrastructure in their domains.
Shinkafi who was represented by the deputy director of Partnerships in the ministry, Olabode Olasoyi stated this at a sector-wide stakeholders’ workshop organised by the ministry in Abuja.
He lamented the high level of neglect that water and sanitation facilities suffer in the hands of benefiting communities as they are often handled as ‘no man’s property’ and called for a change of attitude.
On his part, a water and renewable energy company, Fordmarx Nigeria Limited, pledged to partner with the Federal Government to make potable water accessible and affordable to Nigerians.
The managing director of the company, Clifford Nnaji, maintained that Nigeria is already blessed with several natural resources that would make safe water supply easier for the citizenry.
He maintained that instead of depending solely on hydropower generation, the nation could delve more into solar power as the country is blessed with abundant sunlight.
Also speaking at the event, Benue State commissioner for Water Resources and Environment, Hon Odoh Ugwu vowed to take drastic measures to tackle perennial floods and water scarcity in the state.
He said Governor Hyacinth Alia has given him a marching order to desilt the major drainages and water channels especially in the state capital to mitigate the usual heavy floods that affect thousands of residents almost on a yearly basis.
The Federal Government had on Tuesday declared 148 local government areas in 31 states, including Benue, as highly susceptible to floods in the 2024 flood outlook.
The commissioner also lamented that the Makurdi, Otukpo, Gboko and Katsina-Ala waterworks had been in bad shape but efforts were already being made to revitalise them to reduce acute water scarcity in major towns of the state.
According to him, most of the water boards have rusty pipes and dilapidated facilities but efforts were already on to reticulate them for maximum water supply to the people.
