BY ANTHONY OCHELA, ABUJA
Federal governments said it is leveraging modern technological innovations to address potable water challenges.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the maiden edition of the Annual Water Quality Conference with the theme, ‘Safe Water For Sustainable Public Health.’
Professor Utsev, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Richard Pheelangwah, said to enable the effective testing of water and the improvement of its quality, the federal government, through the ministry, has established 12 water quality laboratories across the federation.
He noted that water quality management for the provision of safe drinking water is imperative for national development, as only a healthy population can contribute to boosting economic growth.
The minister said with the conference, government envisioned a platform that will assemble stakeholders and engender and deepen discussions on improving water quality for a healthy nation.
He lamented that open defecation and indiscriminate refuse dumping had continued to pose a challenge to water quality, especially open sources like rivers, streams and wells, just as the uncoordinated drilling of boreholes is tasking the quality of water available to the people.
Professor Utsev pointed out that the theme of this year’s conference is instructive and did not only underscore the role of water quality to national development, but also underlines the challenge that government together with stakeholders and development partners must proffer key answers to.
Also speaking, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Water Resources, represented by the vice chairman, Mukhtar Shawaye, noted the challenges of water quality management and expressed confidence that the conference will contribute positive ideas to drive improvement.
He noted that the House had always been instrumental to enabling legal frameworks for government agencies to deliver their mandates and assured of improved budgetary provisions to support the ministry.
He lauded government’s flood control projects and the construction and upgrading of dams to mitigate the challenges associated with water and charged the ministry to sustain such efforts.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Pheelangwah, represented by the Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Elizabeth Ugoh, said the conference presented a unique platform for the ministry and development partners to develop a framework for improved water quality.
