Minister seeks partnership for water security

Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, has sought partnership with the private sector for water security . In his keynote address at a national validation workshop on the draft National Water Protection Policy yesterday in Abuja, he said there was urgent need for protection of water sources to reduce health challenges in the country.

The minister stated that the non-passage of the Water Resource Bill by the National Assembly had hindered the much needed private sector participation and democratisation of the sector.

Adamu said at the moment, there was zero private sector involvement in the industry, explaining that only a management contract was existing with no proper regulations.

In his welcome address, Executive Director of Nigeria Integrated Water Resource Management Commission (NIWRMC), Magashi Bashir, recalled that the journey to the drafting of the policy began with the approval of the National Council on Water Resources fully loaded with inputs from relevant stakeholders.