The Enugu State House of Assembly has held a public hearing on a bill for a law to regulate the establishment and activities of water-user associations in the state and for other connected purposes.
The bill is a strategic legal framework aimed at promoting sustainable irrigation practices and efficient management of water resources.
It seeks to fulfill part of the requirements for a World Bank-assisted project in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, the Anambra River Basin Development Authority, and the Enugu State government.
One of the key objectives of the bill is the formation of Water User Associations (WUAs) as well as the establishment of community-based organisations to manage and oversee irrigation farming activities.
Already, the state government has committed a ₦2 billion counterpart fund to co-finance the project.
This bill, when it becomes a law, will be a transformative initiative to enhance irrigation farming, empower local communities and foster sustainable agricultural development in the state. It underscores a commitment to improving livelihoods and ensuring water resource sustainability
The chairperson, House Committee on Water Resources in the State House of Assembly, Hon Princess Ugwu, who presided over the ceremony briefed journalists at the end the hearing.
She added that it was part of the criteria to qualify for a World Bank water project which the state has already paid its counterpart fund.
