The Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC) has commenced the assessment of its legal guidelines that will allow it to sanction all unlicensed water users within the nation.
The Commission’s Executive Director, Magashi Bashir, disclosed this on Monday on the opening ceremony of a two-day Review of Water Use Licence Terms and Conditions Meeting in Abuja.
He warned of the risks of the proliferation of boreholes in Abuja.
According to him, the range of particular person borehole concentrations in a specific atmosphere causes an unprecedented catastrophe.
He famous the necessity to standardise all paperwork focused at repositioning and regulating the water assets sector.
He added that the non-passage of the water assets invoice by the outgone ninth National Assembly had brought about a variety of challenges within the trade.
“Continuous stakeholder engagement in the water resources administration in the country is necessary for effective and result-oriented regulations, particularly regarding water Use Licence Terms and Conditions. Under my watch, the commission will leave no stone unturned to ensure a proper licensing regime.
“The non-passage of the water resources bill has caused a lot of setbacks in the sector, including the issuance of licenses and the terms and conditions of the licenses.
“We are reviewing this to standardize the document for water licenses. Also, to have a consultative forum where the states will be involved in whatever we do.
“In individual boreholes, you don’t apply for a license; you are allowed to have a water source, but we are saying there is a need for data for the boreholes being drilled randomly everywhere. Particularly the estates that spring up. They are drilling into the basement of every single house. The likely thing to happen is what happened in Mpape. Nigeria is not in a mobile zone, but human activities can lead to some disasters because we don’t yield to advice.
“On the other hand, it is because we don’t have water board service everywhere. The water board is supposed to be working, but that is not the case. It has become a thing of ego that everybody wants to drill a borehole; it should be so. Several persons can come together to drill a borehole; it would serve them”, he acknowledged.
Earlier, Emmanuel Udoh, delivering a paper on ‘Optimising Water Allocation Through Revised License Terms and Conditions’, harped on the necessity for Nigeria to reposition itself and benefit from the untapped assets within the trade.
Recall that the ninth National Assembly didn’t go the National Water Resources Bill, 2023, following its generated controversy.
