By John Oba Abuja
As part of eff ort to strengthen availability of water for end users, the National Assembly has reiterated its readiness to pass the Water Resources Bill into law soon. A statement signed by the Ministry’s Acting Chief Information Offi cer, Attari Monday Hope, yesterday, said the Chairman, Senate Committee on Water Resource, Senator Ubali Shittu, gave the assurance recently at the 6th National Water Conference held in Makurdi, Benue State, saying the process of passing the bill is now at advanced stage.
“From all indications, the Senate is favourably disposed to treating the bill in the affi rmative considering its substance and relevance to our social and economic development”, he said. Also speaking at the conference, the minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, said water can create decent jobs, contribute to a greener economy and sustain development. Th e minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Musa Ibrahim, said that water is central to Nigeria’s quest for decent jobs, greener economy and sustainable development. According to Adamu, the theme of the conference, “Water and Jobs” is germane considering the desire of the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to create jobs in every facet of the Nigerian economy. He stated that the importance of water to our national life cannot be over emphasized.
Th e United Nations World Water Development Report 2016, estimates that well over one billion jobs are heavily water-dependent. Such jobs are found in agriculture, forestry, inland fi sheries, mining and resource extraction, power generation, water supply and sanitation. He therefore called on the participants to come up with recommendations that would encourage governments at all levels to formulate and urgently pursue a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “Th e outcome of the conference would help in developing national programmes on water and jobs” he said.
