The Nigerian Institution of Water Engineers (NIWE) has called on the National Assembly to pass the water bill for a sustainable water supply in the country.
The national chairman of NIWE, Joshua Sanga, stated this at a news conference in Abuja to commemorate the 2025 World Water Day with the theme “Glacier Preservation” highlighting the critical role of glaciers in sustaining life and the water cycle.
Sanga explained that the water bill aimed to provide a framework for the sustainable management of water resources, which is essential for addressing the challenges facing the water sector in Nigeria.
He added that the bill would help to improve water governance, increase investment in the water sector, enhance water security, and promote better sanitation and hygiene practices.
“While we use this opportunity to draw attention to the impact of melting glaciers, it is also worthy to note the challenges confronting the water sector in Nigeria.
„These are the deplorable state of water supply and water corporations in various states in Nigeria, low access to potable water and siltation of our rivers and waterways.
„Others include poor water conservation practices and the prolonged delay in the passage of the National Water Bill.
„Confronting the above challenges calls for urgent and adaptive actions from all stakeholders and concerted efforts towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals related to water.
„Such actions include large scale adoption of effective renewable energy sources or a healthy energy mix to reduce the impact of the activities of man on the environment and by extension global warming,“ he said.
Sanga said the water bill would address these challenges, and Nigeria would advance in water resources development.
He assuaged the fears of Nigerians, who believed that the water bill was a way of taking their lands and controlling their resources.
„We as water engineers are calling on the National Assembly, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the Presidency to act fast on it.
„ Let there be collaboration and partnership of all stakeholders as per the Act, the Tax Reform Bill, such that a middle way would be found to help in the management of water resources of Nigeria.
„Some states are afraid that some people will take over their lands, grazing reserve and the rest but it is not so.
„We are all Nigerians and therefore our wish as Nigerian water engineers is for all stakeholders to come together to address the concerns raised and find solutions to them,“ he said.
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