As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to celebrate the UN 2014 World Water Day, stakeholders in both water and the energy sectors have called for increased and extensive collaboration in Nigeria.
Speaking at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, the venue of the symposium, the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Reng Ochekpe, said no nation can develop without adequate supply of water and energy.
She said the need for increased collaboration and cooperation between the agencies and stakeholders in the water and energy sectors cannot be overemphasized. Adding that there is an urgent need for the agencies in water and energy sectors that own and operate dams to collaborate in their reservoir operations
“Coordinated and integrated reservoir operations of the dams on the two major rivers Niger and Benue and their tributaries will increase the efficiency of these dams for hydropower and flood control. The ministry in pursuance of its transformation agenda has initiated many reforms and innovations in the funding and operations of the enrgy and water sectors. These reforms resulted in the un-bundling of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN),” she said.
She said opportunities abound for investors in the sectors to key into the small hydro-power projects scattered across the country.
The Permanent Secretary Alhaji Baba Umar Faruk, said the objectives of this year’s celebration with the theme: “Water and Energy” is to raise awareness of the potential for increased cooperation amongs the stakeholders in the two sectors.
“Water requires energy and energy requires water. Water is required to produce nearly all form of energy, while energy is also needed at all stages of water extraction, treatment and distribution.”
Also, the minister of women affairs, said: “We believe that water, sanitation and sustainable energy for all shold be a major goal in the post-2015 development agenda, all stakeholders need to get involved.”
