NIGERIA MUST PROTECT AND RESTORE HER DAMAGED RIVERS- SAYS, PROF UTSEV 25-09-23
By Sadiq Aminu The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev has underscored the need for Nigerians to protect healthy rivers and restore those damaged by pollution, urbanization, climate change, and other human activities.
The World Rivers Day, celebrated on 25 September globally highlights the crucial role of rivers and waterways, their significance and further amplifies for their protection.
In a statement, Prof Utsev explained that the celebration strengthens Nigeria’s commitment to treating Rivers and lakes as living entities entitled to fundamental rights, legal guardianship, and personhood in line with the “Universal Declaration of River Rights.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation maintained that the celebration also gives the country the impetus to ensure the protection, restoration, and sustainable management of all vital Water Resources.
Prof Ustev believe that the roles of rivers in the country’s socio-economic life including providing water, nutrients, drainage, transportation routes, energy sources, fertile soil for agriculture, and supporting the water cycle and aquatic habitats cannot be over-emphasised.
He pointed out that the Ministry has constructed approximately 260 dams across Nigeria, impounded nearly 70 billion cubic meters of water for various purposes, including water supply, sanitation, irrigation, and hydropower generation.
Prof Ustev said the recent re-designation of the Ministry as the “Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation” and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency on food security underscored the government’s commitment to address food security, environmental protection, improved access to safe water and sanitation, tackling rising food prices, and harnessing the potential of the agriculture value chain.
He added that the Ministry will continue to promote Integrated Agricultural Systems, such as the Songhai Integrated Farming Model, which is eco-friendly and supports cleaner energy options, including solar.
The Honourable Minister also maintained that highlights of the 2023 World Rivers Day event across the country include; Advocacy visit by “Friends of the River” to selected River Sites for Community River-Side celebration across the country by the River Basin Development Authorities; Memorial Tree Planting to mark the celebration by the 12 RBDAs ;Symbolic River Cleaning exercise in different parts of the country; Symposium; Road Show and Media sensitization among others.