Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, on Thursday called for robust partnerships between water resources stakeholders to enable the optimal tapping of potentials in the sector.
Adamu, who was represented by a Deputy Director in his Ministry, Mrs Ruth Audu, made the call during a sensitization workshop on implementation of the 2013 National Water Resources Master Plan.
The workshop was organized in Sokoto for stakeholders in the North West geopolitical zone.
He said Federal Government focused on facilitating effective partnerships with states and local government, as well as the private sectors, in order to maximise the economic benefit of the nation’s water resources.
According to him, the overall sector development is being guided by the national water resources Master plan, and that its implementation had begun.
He explained that the workshop would afford opportunity for states that had already commenced the implementation of the master plan, to share their experiences.
He added that participants would also share constraints, challenges and recommend ways forward, which would form part of 2022 master plan.
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Adamu noted that several challenges, including lack of political will, weak implementation structure and poor justification for budgetary provisions and appropriation, slowed down the implementation of the 1995 master plan.
The Minister said the workshop was a bold steps to create awareness with the relevant ministries, departments and agencies at the Federal and state levels, as well as the critical stakeholders, on the content of the current national water resources Master plan.
” Therefore, states are expected to invest massively in the sector, through the development of irrigation infrastructure, for effective utilization of water impounded in dam reservoirs, as well as facilitate the process of access to land, ” Adamu said.
Speaking earlier, Sokoto State’s Commissioner of Water Resources, Alhaji Umar Bature, commended the efforts and pledged increased commitment to ensure success of the targeted goals.
The Managing Director, Zamfara state Water Board, Alhaji Buhari Salisu-Dosara, also commended the Federal Government for the expansion of water project in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants were drawn from relevant ministries, departments and agencies from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Source: NAN
