News
FG seeks collective action against river pollution, flooding
By Francesca Hangeior
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev on Monday called for collective action to protect the country’s water bodies from pollution and flooding.
Utsev made the call during an event to commemorate the 2024 World Rivers Day, with the theme ‘Protect Our Rivers from Pollution’ in Abuja.
Utsev noted the important roles rivers play in the water cycle, economy, ecosystem, and sustainable development.
“Our rivers are lifelines for communities, ecosystems, and economies across Nigeria, it is our collective responsibility to prevent pollution, flooding, and other threats that endanger these vital resources.
“Protecting our rivers requires a collective effort. Let us all work together to prevent pollution and flooding so that future generations can benefit from these priceless resources”.
He noted that this year’s celebration was subdued due to the devastating floods of Sept. 10, 2024, which caused significant damage in Borno State.
Utsev recalled that the floods claimed lives and destroyed properties, prompting his ministry to assess the Alau Dam to prevent future disasters.
“As we commemorate World Rivers Day, we also stand in solidarity with the people of Borno State.
“We are working closely with the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) to monitor water levels across the country and ensure that such incidents do not reoccur,” he said.
Utsev stressed the importance of flood preparedness, particularly in states along the Benue River, such as Adamawa, Taraba, and Benue.
He urged state governments to remain vigilant, clear drainage channels, and relocate residents from flood-prone areas.
He also reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to protect Nigeria’s rivers from pollution, urging stakeholders to view rivers as “living entities” deserving of legal rights and protections.
He called on all Nigerians to safeguard rivers from harmful practices such as waste dumping and overuse.
“We must extend these protections to our watersheds and basins, recognising that clean and healthy rivers are fundamental to our survival,” Utsev added.
Also, Dr Bello Goronyo, his state counterpart, noted the role of rivers and dams in sustaining life and supporting national development.
He stressed that protecting rivers was crucial for maintaining dam infrastructure, which supports water supply, irrigation, and hydro-power generation.
According to him, such financial mishandling not only disrupts critical public services and projects but also results in major losses to the nation’s purse—resources that could have been channelled into crucial services and developmental efforts, as laid out in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.
Speaker Abbas, thereafter setup a Special Committee to be chaired by Rep. Chinedu Martins to immediately launch a probe into the “Utilisation of take-off grants, bailout funds, and interventions allocated to MDAs, government institutions, and GOEs from 2015 to present.”
The FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, expressed satisfaction with the progress on the Abuja light rail project, reaffirming its May 29 delivery as sacrosanct.
He made these assurances after inspecting the ongoing construction of access roads to the train stations on Wednesday, from Metro Train Station in the Central Area to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Reassuring journalists accompanying him, the minister reiterated that President Bola Tinubu would commission the rail project on May 29 to mark his second year in office.
The visited stations were Wupa station near Idu and Bassanjiwa station near the airport.
“This is part of our routine inspection of ongoing projects to see the contractors’ progress,” Wike explained.
“We are working day and night to fulfill our promise to President Tinubu and FCT residents. By May, Mr. President will ride on the Metro line.”
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen are currently invading some communities in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to sources, the herdsmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the community around 04:15pm on Thursday.
“Our lives are in danger this evening, armed Fulani herdsmen, about 600 in numbers have taken over our communities this evening,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
“They’re currently moving around towns in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue state. No security personnel at all, Governor Alia didn’t send security, they said operation will start soon once they (herders) have observed the place.”
The insecurity situation in Benue has been alarming in recent weeks with attacks from gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.
The media had reported that suspected herdsmen again unleashed terror in Benue State, attacking three communities in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday, just a day after 11 people were killed in a deadly raid on Otobi community.
The latest victims of the escalating violence were Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, communities that had previously suffered an attack in February, which left five people dead.
However, the renewed attack has created fear and mass displacement among residents, with women and children fleeing to safety.
Local sources say the death toll from the fresh attack remains unclear, but several casualties are feared.
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