By Omotayo Edubi
The permanent secretary, Federal Capital Territory, Olusade Adesola, disclosed that the persistence of climate change poses a significant threat to the global water supply particularly in the face of the current upsurge in the demand for running water supply occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adesola disclosed this during his welcome address at the 28th Meeting of the National Technical Committee, on Water Resources with theme ‘Emerging Financial and Management Challenges for Sustainable Water Infrastructure in Nigeria’, which was held in Abuja.
He explained that the eruption diseases are caused by poor provision of clean water and the government is determined to provide clean water to its people.
“The occasional outburst in incidences of public health diseases, such as cholera, diarrhea, dysentery and many more can be largely attributed to the inadequate availability of clean potable water supply”.
“For us in the FCT, the expansion access to portable clean water supply has always been atop on the agenda of the administration. In this regard, a contract for the rehabilitation of the lower Usman Dam treatment plant, phase 2 to optimize it water production capability is currently ongoing”.
Adesola announced a joint project with the People’s Republic of China to increase access to hygienic and potable water.
“Under bilateral initiative with People’s Republic of China, we are finiancing a project named “The Greater Abuja Water Supply” which when completed will expand access to the supply of clean water and potable water to 33 district in Phases 2 and 3 covering Gwarimpa 1 and 2 ,Utako, Dutse, Gudu, Lokogoma, Wuye, Mabushi, Jahi, Kado, Karmo, Galadimawa, Kabusa, Dape, Kauraetc.
The meeting was attended by state water commissioners, managing directors of the River Basin Development Authorities, water board managers in the states and technical partners among other experts.