By Awyetu Asabe Hope
The Federal Government has commenced nationwide consultations with state governments and other stakeholders to develop a National Water Compact aimed at addressing Nigeria’s persistent water and sanitation challenges and strengthening water security across the country.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at a stakeholders’ consultation workshop on the development of the Nigeria National Water Compact.
Utsev said the initiative was necessary to tackle persistent challenges in the water sector, including rapid urbanisation, population growth, climate change, environmental degradation, inadequate infrastructure, fragmented institutional arrangements and financing constraints.
He said the challenges had continued to affect Nigeria’s ability to provide reliable water supply, sanitation services and productive water use.
The minister stressed the importance of water to national development, noting that it was central to public health, food security, economic growth, environmental sustainability and energy production.
According to him, the National Water Compact would provide a coordinated framework for addressing the country’s water and sanitation challenges while strengthening collaboration among the Federal Government, states and other stakeholders.
He said the consultation process would enable stakeholders to identify key priorities, strengthen sector coordination and develop practical solutions to improve water security and sanitation services nationwide.
