Bukola Saraki,Senate President has lamented that despite the various water projects running into billions of naira the problem of shortage of water supply to Nigerians still remains a major national problem.
Saraki expressed this concern in a speech at the opening of a two-day public hearing by the Senate Committee on Water Resources at National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
The Public Hearing was organised for the consideration of two bills titled ‘The National Water Resources (Establishment) Bill 2017’ and the ‘River Basin Development Authority Act 2004 Amendment Bill.’
Declaring the public hearing open, Saraki represented by Senator Olusola Adeyeye, Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate said the huge investment in the water sector particularly at the state levels still falls short as the sector is majorly private sector driven.
He said the main objective of the Water Resources Bill is to among other things ensure that issues relating to the allocation and use of water resources are identified and effectively managed.
The Senate President noted that the River Basin Development Authority Act Amendment Bill will see to the unbundling of the existing Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority into two, an Imo River Basin Development Authority catering for Imo and Abia States and the Anambra River Basin Development Authority providing for Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi State.
Earlier, Muhammed Shittu, Chairman of the Committee on Water Resources, said the main objective of the of the Water Resource Establishment Bill is to ensure adequate water supply to Nigerians.
The sponsors of the bills are Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President, and Ahmed Lawan, the Leader of the Senate.
