The Federal Government is to ensure Nigeria’s transboundary water resources between two or more states are properly managed against abuse and detrimental actions.
The Acting Executive Director, Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC), Mrs Sakinatu Abbo Jimeta made this known while declaring open the workshop on ‘The Review of the Proposed Bill for the Establishment of the Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission’ in Abuja.
She said that the Commission is a Federal body that regulates all transboundary waters in the country in line with the global best practices of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), noting that the concept is applicable in the States for the regulation of their water resources.
According to Mrs Jimeta, “it is alarming to note that with the growing population, access to adequate quantity and quality of portable water might be an issue in the nearest future, except adequate and appropriate regulatory framework embedded in a regulatory establishment Act is in force.”
“It is in the best interest of our nation to bring the regulation of our transboundary water into conformity with global best practice through the passage of an establishment Act for the statutory creation of a regulatory Agency,” she stated.
The Acting Executive Director expressed her earnest desire that the workshop will further consolidate on the efforts by the Federal Government to have a regulatory establishment body at Federal level since some States already have regulatory Agencies.
She called on academicians and legal luminaries to expand on same through valuable relatable contributions to the legal framework with an establishment Act, at its apex.
The Director, Legal Services, NIWRMC, Mr Rotimi Ojebile while delivering his brief said State Governments are critical stakeholders in the administration of water resources in the country. He added that by virtue of item 64, second schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the States have Authority in the administration of Water Resources within their states.
Professor Abdulmumin Bala Ahmed of Bayero University, Kano and Mr Zaccheaus Adeyanju Esq both made presentations at the workshop on the necessity for the statutory establishment of a regulatory Water Resources Management Commission.
Fatimah Yusuf
Head (Press &PR)