Federal government says it’s committed to the implementation of the National Water Resources Master plan for sustainable water development and management in the country.
Minister of water Resources Eng.Suleiman Adamu stated this at a sensitization workshop on the implementation of the 2013 National Master plan held in Sokoto.
The National master plan was developed by the ministry in collaboration with Japan’s International Cooperative Agency in 1995.
The plan was the first integrated development plan aimed at optimizing the Nation’s water Resources as well as financial and economic investment options in the water Resources development with a view to achieving accelerated growth.
The minister who was represented by the director water Resources, planning and Technical support services of the ministry, Mrs Alice Ojowu said the overall sector was guided by the national water Resources Master plan which the implementation has already began, is expected to be in partnership with States, local government as well as private sector.
He noted that although the 1995 implementation of the master plan made with some challenges ranging from weak implementation structure, poor justification for budgetary provision to lack of political will by the past administration in the country stressed that the present administration was poised to ensuring effective implementation of the master plan.
Eng.Suleiman Adamu explained that the workshop is a bold steps towards creating awareness to the relevant ministries, Department, and Agencies at the federal and state levels together with critical stakeholders on the content of the current National water Resources Master plan in the north west geopolitical zone in the country.
Responding, the managing Director, Zamfara state water Board Buhari Salisu Dosara commended federal government for the expansion of water project in Kauran Namoda local government which is currently on going.
He said the move by federal government to ensure the implementation of the master plan was a welcome development.
The Managing Director added that the signing of the open defecations law and the Bill currently in the National Assembly aimed at providing legal backing to the executive order as it relates to the practice of open urination and open defecations would go a long way in providing portable drinking water and ensure eco- friendly environment in the country.
From Nasir Muhammad, Sokoto