Federal Government’s insistence on waterways bill shows insensitivity, says Afenifere

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, yesterday, described the insistence of the Federal Government to pass the Waterways Resources Bill into law as another instance of how the government is often hell-bent on going ahead with what the majority of Nigerians frowned on and neglecting the ones they yearned for.

It would be recalled that Minister of Water Resources, Malam Suleiman Adamu, had during an interview programme by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) last week in Abuja said, among other things, that the bill would provide for professional and efficient management of all surface and groundwater for the use of all Nigerians.

According to him, it will also ensure that the nation’s water resources are protected, used, developed, conserved and managed in a sustainable manner for the benefit of all Nigerians.

He, therefore, vowed that his ministry would continue to pursue the passage of the bill into law, describing those opposing the passage as ‘hysterical.’

BUT taking a swipe at the minister’s position on the bill, National Publicity Secretary of the organisation, Jare Ajayi, said the minister’s assertion smacked of arrogance, disdain for the people of Nigeria and insensitivity to the things that are of immediate concern to Nigerians.

Ajayi said it is unbecoming of a public officer to describe Nigerians as hysterical simply because they express their displeasure with a government policy.

Also, on the reasons adduced for insisting on the bill, Afenifere spokesman submitted that the minister was only trying to disguise the real intention behind the insistence.