WorldStage Newsonline– As the ‘World Water Day’ is being marked across the globe, the Federal Government of Nigeria has admitted that millions of citizens in rural area currently lack access to improved drinking water sources, with national access to water supply standing at 57%.
Speaking at the ‘World Water Day’ with Theme: Nature of Water 2018, on Thursday in Abuja, Engr Sulieman Adamu, Minister of Water Resources noted that with the increasing rate of population growth access to clean water and sanitation had continue to decline steadily.
Adamu, who was represented by Musa Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of water resources, lamented on the declining number of Nigerians getting their water supply through piped network from 31% in 1990 to less than 7% in 2017.
The minister said, “this shows that majority of the 93% are drawing water from other sources that cannot guarantee freshness evident in the indiscriminate digging or boreholes with resultant consequence on the environment in the urban areas and fetching of unclean water from rivers and stream in the rural areas.
“We need to work harder to attain SDG 6, which is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to safe water by 2030 while protecting the ecosystem. As part of Nature Base Solution (NBS, it is time to ‘go green’ and ‘stay green’”.
According to him, this year World Water Day symposium and the deliberations will not only educate on the Nature base Solution, but will address crucial elements to improve the nexus between water energy, food and ecosystem.
In his goodwill message, Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO, represented by Dr Simone Gregor noted that the latest United Nation World Water Development Report showed that 3.6 billion people around the world, about half of the world’s population live in potentially water scare areas during at least one month a year, adding that the figure could rise to more than 5 billion in 2050.
She highlighted that reasons for water global shortage as, “freshwater resources are continually under the combined pressure of global population growth, climate change, the exponential increase in consumption and the spread of lifestyle that squander resources.
In her remark, Dr Chichi Okoye, Country Director, Water Aid Nigeria said the World Water Day with its theme: Nature for water, emphasized on the need for exploring nature based solutions to the current water challenges being faced as a nation and region.
She said in Nigeria over 6o million people lacked access to clean water and an overwhelming 123 million people lack basic sanitation.
“The denial of these human rights contributes to the death of around 165 children under five every single day, and holds women, girls and children back from fulfilling their potential.” She said.
She however, urged the Nigerian government to prioritized water and sanitation and improve budget allocations to the sector.
She said, “The dire situation needs the highest level of government’s attention especially in delivering water for the poorest and most marginalized people.”
