The Nigerian Association of Hydrologists (NAH) has warned of impeding water crisis by 2020 owing to poor management of groundwater basins.
President of the association, Ehidiamhen Olumese, disclosed yesterday in Ilorin while addressing journalists after the association’s national executive meeting that the issue should not be taken with kid gloves.
Olumese, however, said that the impending crisis could be avoided by the acquisition of both hydrological data and systematic study of basin aquifers.
He said, updating and full implementation of the national water resources master plan was now imperative.
He noted that the development called for a strong financial commitment and prudent management of available resources by state governments and support to River Basin Development Authorities, to achieve their mandate based on set targets that could be evaluated periodically.
“The groundwater level is going down and we are giving water projects to quacks.
“Indiscriminate sinking of boreholes is not helping the matter. We must become aware of this and do something.
“Projects are executed without professional counselling as hydrologists are not consulted.
“The Lake Chad is shrinking and this may soon be causing loss of jobs,” Olumese said.
He lamented that government was inconsistent with its policy on river basins, adding that with proper policies and commitment, Nigeria could feed Africa through its river basins. (NAN)
