The Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleman Adamu, has disclosed that no fewer than 52.7 Nigerians have no access to water supply in the country.
The Minister disclosed this Saturday at Iyamho, during the third founders day of the Edo University, Iyamho, Etsako West local government of Edo state.
Delivering a lecture titled ” water, Sanitation and hygiene” Adamu said majority of this figures are highly concentrated in rural areas.
He said, ” 2015, the National Water Supply Coverage (NWSC) was 69 percent, comprising of uraban dwellers 80 percent, semi urban (small town) 68 percent and rural areas 60 percent. This implied that 31 percent representing 52.7 million Nigerians did not have access to water supply.
“Inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure, population increase and rapid urbanization have created a serious deficiency in the quality of life of an average Nigerian with dire consequences on sanitation, food, security, health, employment and standard of living,” he said
Represented by the Managing Director of Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority, Engr. Ahmed Saliu, Adamu, he said the ministry has developed immediate and long-term strategies for water sector 2016 to 2030, tagged ” the water sector road map to address the problem.
He said Nigeria was not able to meet the Millennium Development Goals Target on access to water supply as a result of the decline in access to water in the rural areas.
Adamu noted that with the water sector road map, concerted efforts muat be put in place towards achieving 100 percent access to water supply by 2030 in accordance with the newly adopted in accordance with the newly adopted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Earlier, Governor Godwin Obaseki, said plans have been put in place to partner world class Universities in its quest to be one of the best institution in the world.
“This was a goal we set out when we established this University. They’ve done well, but there’s still a lot to be done. Our goal is to make this University a global University, a university that can compare with anyone anywhere in the world. The benchmark is not Nigeria, it’s the world. I want by the next ranking, this University being ranked among the best Universities in the continent,” he said
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On his part, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor, said they are competing with are global standards in terms of acdemic.
According to him, the institution’s aim is putting the Edo University on the map of the world as a world-class University.
