Reps Seek Review Of Water Policy

The House of Representatives Committee on Water Resources has called for a review of the Federal Government’s water policy in order to develop a sound and workable water supply arrangement with the states and local governments.

The Chairman House Committee on Water Resources, Honourable Aliyu Ahman- Pategi in a press statement made available to newsmen after a three-day Budget Defence of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Basins, agencies and commissions under the Ministry said it was time for the Federal Government to review its water policy.

The committee which notes that the state governments cannot for now meet the large fund demands to construct large dams wants the Federal Government to continue bulk water and work towards workable arrangement where state governments and local governments can pay for raw water supply they get.

Besides, the committee said the twelve River Basins in the country needed to be fully empowered so that they can be able to generate sufficient funds to meet their recurrent expenditure and in future apply the surplus funds to cater for some of their capital projects.