World Water Day: Obaseki assures of comprehensive water infrastructure

…tasks citizens on effective water management

Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured his administration’s readiness to deliver a comprehensive water infrastructure that will serve the water need of all Edo people and residents.

Obaseki said this in commemoration of the World Water Day marked every March 22, by the United Nations and its partner institutions across the world.

The governor said that the bill to establish an urban water corporation in the state, which has passed third reading at the State House of Assembly, will set up the necessary structures and institutions to provide for and manage the provision of potable water, among other related issues.

He also said that there is an urgent need to tackle issues of flooding and erosion because of the adverse effects they pose to the environment and in displacing families and businesses, while urging citizens to develop an effective water management culture.

The governor said the state government is tackling the issues of flooding and erosion by constructing channels to drain our water in urban areas and also by ensuring that new roads are fitted with drains.

According to him, “On a day like this, it is important to get everyone to realise that we face threat from flooding and erosion. As a government, we have initiated moves to tackle these head-on by constructing the needed infrastructure to guard against disasters.

“At the same time, we are also building water infrastructure to areas of the state that have difficulty in accessing potable water. Some of these projects are ongoing and we intend to even do more in the coming months.”

Noting that the world water day is an occasion to reflect on how well the country has fared in providing potable water to underserved communities, he pledged to commit more resources to meet the water needs of people in these communities, provide access to clean water and increase awareness on the need for water management.

He added that this year’s theme for the day, Nature for Water, speaks to the need of utilising natural means to prevent erosion, flooding and drought, calling for concerted effort by government and civil society actors in ensuring that water-related issues are placed on the front burner and that solutions to these issues do not alter the environment.

According to the UN, “Environmental damage, together with climate change, is driving the water-related crises we see around the world. Floods, drought and water pollution are all made worse by degraded vegetation, soil, rivers and lakes.”

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