By Dianabasi Effiong, Uyo
The Federal Government awarded 113 water contracts and completed 40 of such contracts in the last year across Nigeria, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, said in Uyo.
The Minister made this known at the 31st Regular Meeting of the National Council on Water Resources and Sanitation (NCWR&S) in Uyo on Thursday.
The theme of the Council meeting is: “Water and Food Security: Challenges and Opportunities in the Face of Daunting Climate Change.”
Utsav also said that the Ministry, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, was leveraging its programmes to revolutionise irrigated agriculture and boost food security to alleviate poverty in Nigeria.
“Permit me to state that the Ministry has continued to work towards the revitalisation and sustainability of the water supply sub-sector, providing strategic guidance for the effective delivery of water, sanitation, and hygiene services across the nation.
“Some significant progress made by the Ministry since the last Council Meeting held in Feb. 2024, in Abuja are highlighted as follows; Water Supply: the Ministry has accomplished over 40 different projects across rural, small town and urban water supply.
“Other achievements include construction of 44 projects under the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (PEWASH) program, completion of 45 projects under the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) programme,” he said.
Utsav also said that the implementation of 64 projects funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Inclusive Basic Delivery System for Development and Livelihood Empowerment Improvement Project and the award of 113 contracts for water supply, which are currently at various stages of construction, were part of the achievements.
The minister said that plans were underway to construct additional dams across the country to expand water storage capacity as measures to control floods and enhance food security through irrigation.
The minister added that irrigation played a critical role in food security, economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction.
In his remarks, Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, said the ARISE Agenda of his administration aligned perfectly with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Eno said the state government would work tirelessly to ensure that citizens benefitted from the initiatives and programmes outlined in the President’s bold agenda, especially those that relate to water, agriculture, and the environment.
He called on the federal government to reactivate the abandoned dams in Nkari and Ibiono Ibom in Ini and Ibiono Ibom LGAs respectively.
“These dams once envisioned to drive agricultural growth and economic prosperity, now lie dormant and abandoned, a testament to the neglect of our water resources,” Eno said.
Eno said that the government had implemented several initiatives aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change, including the setting up of the Flood Mitigation Committee.
“We want to reiterate our administration’s commitment to addressing the challenges of water and food security in the face of climate change.
“We recognise that these challenges require a collective response, and all are invited to join in this effort. Together we can build a more resilient and sustainable future for all Nigerians,” he said.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation, Mr. Sada Soli, assured that the National Assembly would its role, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in ensuring that all decisions taken at the National Council were achieved.
He said that the theme was very appropriate, considering the ever-increasing awareness of the need for sustainable development of water resources for various purposes such as agriculture, industrial, and domestic uses, especially with the appalling climate change confronting the whole world.
