The Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Commission (NIWRC), has urged National Assembly to ensure quick passage of the Water Resources Bill to enhance revenue generation and create job opportunities in the country.
NIWRC Executive Director, Mr Magashi Umar, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to him, the passage of bill will ensure more revenue for government.
“We can generate money from water, because we need to generate money for the government.
“We look at Coca-Cola and other water bottling companies that are taken underground water, they are generating revenue for themselves.
“They need to pay for that water they are taken from underground. These companies suppose to pay government.
“The passage of bill will also enhance job opportunities as well as strengthen activities of the commission in many ways. In essence, it will generate job opportunities, thereby expanding activities in borehole drilling business and other areas in the water sector,’’ he said.
Umar said that the Minister of Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu, had been making efforts to pursue the passage of the bill.
He said that the commission plans to partner with international Non-Governmental Organisations like water-aid, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and other donors towards achieving its mandate.
He said that the partnership would help Nigerians; especially those in rural communities to have access to quality and clean water.
“What is really guiding the commission is effective collaboration; collaboration is a pillar to the commission.
“We are working with government agencies, NGOs, we have lots of them in water sector, we are also looking at international NGOs like JICA, wateraids and others that have helped the commission.
“The organisations have actually played lots of roles in the water sector. The essence of collaborating with them is that they bring around training and other things to our staff.
“Through the training our staff will be exposed in their field; sometimes they can distribute equipment for staff after the training.
“These are some of the very important things that we want to pick up,’’ Umar said.
The executive director said that the commission was working with the Nigeria Hydro-logical Services Agency, (NIHSA) and National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Commission (NAFDAC) in the same direction.
He added that the action was aimed at regulating water resources development as well as its planning and management.(NAN)
