Nigeria’s Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe has relinquished the mantle of leadership of African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) to Republic of Senegal following the successful completion of her tenure as an interim President from August, 2013 to 31stMay 2014.
Prompt News recalls that in May, 2012, Egypt was elected to the office of the AMCOW president, but when the country was suspended from African Union, the position was unanimously transferred to the Minister of Water Resources Nigeria, with hope to hand over to Senegal during the 9th General Assembly meeting in 2014.
In her valedictory statement during the 9th General Assembly Meeting of AMCOW, at the weekend in Dakar, Republic of Senegal, the out-going President, Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Reng Ochekpe, said that AMCOW had provided the needed political leadership, policy direction and advocacy in the provision and management of water resources for sustainable and economic development as well as promoted cooperation, social security and economic development and poverty eradication among the member Countries.
In her words, “I am delighted to say that today through sheer resolve, determination and dedication of our member states and active support of our partners, AMCOW had continued to bring added value to regional cooperation in trans-boundary water management”.
Speaking on challenges, the Minister said that despite the various achievements recorded so far, AMCOW still faces challenges on how to deploy water supply infrastructure services in such a way as to meet the growing demand for safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.
She therefore called on the government of Senegal to support the new AMCOW President “Your Excellency, Prime Minister, the baton of AMCOW leadership has turned to Senegal, there is no doubt that with the interest you have shown in this meeting, my brother minister, Hon Pape Diouf would received the needed support from Government of Senegal to take AMCOW to greater heights in the next two years.”
In his remarks the new AMCOW President, Minister of Water and Sanitation of Senegal, Pape Diouf thanked the Hon. Minister of Water Resources Nigeria for her commitment and determination to implement the AMCOW work plan.
He assured the member countries that his leadership would improve the attaining of the MDGs and post MDG development agenda on water and sanitation.
Earlier, the AMCOW Secretary General Mr. Bai Mass Taal thanked the Nigerian Minister of Water Resources and the outgoing president for her support and determination to sustain AMCOW as critical platform to champion regional advocacy for regional cooperation on efficient management of continent’s water resources.
He said “we must therefore focus serious attention not only on issue of providing safe drinking water and improve sanitation but also efficient and effective management of our water resources to ensure food and energy security, management of waste water and recycling them under quality condition to improve availability of more water for domestic , industrial and agriculture uses”
Also in her statement, the Commissioner, Department for Rural Agriculture African Union Commission (AUC), Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, pledged her commitment to work with African Ministers on water and sanitation.
She said “the Commission of the African Union and specifically the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture which I head remains committed to work closely with you Hon. Ministers in furtherance of issues of water and sanitation across the continent. We look forward to your continued support and guidance.”
