The Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu, has decried the slow pace in implementing the 2013 National Water Resources Master Plan in Nigeria, citing lack of political will, weak implementation structure and poor justification for budgetary provision as some of the issues that have slowed down the plan to see its fruition.
He said this while declaring open a two-day workshop on the implementation of the 2013 National Water Resources Master Plan and the United Nations Water Convention in Abuja yesterday.
The first National Water Resources Master Plan was developed by the ministry in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 1995; with the overall objective of optimising the nation’s water resources, as well as financial and economic investment opportunities in water resources development and management, agricultural production and food security.
Other issues, according to the minister, include increased population growth resulting in increased water demand and uncoordinated water resources development among the three tiers of government, development partners and end users.
Engr Adamu called on the participants to lend voice in the bid to facilitate the passage of the National Water Resources Bill which he said had been re-presented to the 9th National Assembly that would enhance effective management of the water sector in the country.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, said the ministry had already carried out zonal workshops on the 2013 National Water Resources Master Plan and the UN Water Convention in the six geo-political zones and would be rounding them up in Abuja.
