Nigeria ranks 3rd poorest provider of water to citizens

Indications emerged over the weekend that despite attempts by the federal government to meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG), Nigeria ranked the third poorest country in terms of water supply to its citizens due to poor management and mis-governance.

This revelation was made by a guest lecturer; Gabriel Okezi at the maiden lecture on the use and conservation of water for human development organized by the management of Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority.

Speaking on the theme; ‘Water Resources Management in Nigeria,’ Okezi said the overall goal of water management was to make it available and affordable for all purposes which he said would promote “good health, national welfare, food and self sufficiency as well as industrial growth.”

While lamenting that the laws on water management in the country were not being implemented, he disclosed that Nigeria now rate third poorest interms of water supply after India and China.

“The laws on water resources management are not being evolved by the federal ministry of water resources. That is the highest water authority in the country. They should give us guidelines as to how we should manage our water,” he said.

He therefore called on the federal and state governments to include water resources management in school curriculum to be abreast Nigerians with water management.