By Raphael Ekpang
Members of the Senate Committee on Water Resources on Thursday during their inaugural meeting resolved to tackle head long the challenges facing water sector. This, they say will enhance food security and the provision of job opportunity to the youths
The committee chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Yari had during his inaugural speech said the task ahead of the committee was enormous, but adding that with the caliber of members in the committee they were good to go
However, the former governor of Zamfara State his committee would be ready to work closely with their counterparts in the lower chambers of the national assembly, the executive arm of government and other stakeholders both within and outside the country to provide clean water for Nigerians in line with the UN’s sustainable development goal (SDG) number six.
He pointed out that Wateraid, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), said more than 60 million Nigerians do not have access to clean water supply
The former governor said the committee under his leadership would provide the federal government with the necessary support to ensure that water for sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is provided for Nigerians.
Core Reporters report that the committee members are eager to work to ensure that their work is in line with the 10th senate’s legislative agenda
“We are all aware that water is life, and it is the responsibility of the government to provide clean water for all our people,” he said.
“At the same time, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that we harness the vast potential of water in energy production, irrigation for agriculture and transportation.
“This committee on water resources will work closely with the executive branch of our nation’s federal government to ensure that we play our role in providing effective oversight of the ministries, departments and agencies that deal with water.
“This is a democracy, no matter what our intentions are, we have to listen to the yearnings of our people in terms of the bills that we propose and the oversight actions that we take,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yari insisted that the committee will focused on what Nigerians want in the water sector.
