How FG Will Control Water Resources if Proposed Legislation Becomes Law 

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The federal government would have the power to control all water resources across the country if the controversial Water Resources Bill recently reintroduced in the House of Representatives eventually becomes a law.

The proposed legislation which seeks to take over all inter-state rivers, hydrological territories across the country scaled through first reading on the floor of the House of Representatives before the lawmakers embarked on Sallah break.

The private member bill sponsored by Chairman House Committee on Water Resources Hon. Sada Soli, seeks to establish a regulatory framework for trans-boundary water resources in Nigeria, provide for the equitable and sustainable development, management, use and conservation of Nigeria’s inter-state surface water and groundwater resources.

A draft copy of the bill seen by THISDAY, showed that the power is to be vested on the Minister of Water Resources who would exercise it on behalf of the federal government.

According to the draft document, “the powers and functions of the Minister in Section 10 (1) stated that it shall be the duty of the Minister to promote the protection, use, development, conservation, and management of inter-state water resources throughout Nigeria and to ensure the effective exercise of 

powers and performance of duties by institutions and persons identified under this Bill and in the constitution.”

Similarly, Sub-section 2 and 3 of the bill also stated that the Minister shall have the power to make regulations, policies and strategies for the proper, “carrying out of the provisions of this Bill and functioning of the Ministry in accordance with this Bill as well as in accordance with other directives he may receive from the President and any guidance from the Council.” 

Also, under Sections 11,12,13 and 14 of the bill, the Minister also has the power to establish a Committee to coordinate implementation of any international agreement entered into by the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a foreign government or any other international body or organisation relating to investigating, managing, monitoring, and protecting water resources.

The details of the Sections ran as follows: “11-(1) The Minister shall establish and chair ad- hoc committees 

for situations where the issues on development or management of the water resources affects more than one hydrological area as defined in the Second Schedule to this Bill. (2) The Minister may delegate the power under subsection (1) of this section to any person or Institution as deemed appropriate.

“12.-(1) The Minister may, in consultation with the Federal Executive Council, by notice in the Gazette, establish a Committee to coordinate implementation of any international agreement entered into by the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria and a foreign government or any other international body or organisation relating to:

(a) investigating, managing, monitoring, and protecting water resources.”

In a related development, various diaspora groups have expressed concerns over the reintroduction of the controversial bill.

In its reaction, the United Indigenous People of Africa (UNIPA) faulted the reintroduced bill.

The Co-convener of the group, Ms. Jean May, in a statement she sent from New York described the bill as a mockery of the country’s already quasi-federal principles, an attack on universal federalism, and an exhibition of wickedness on the part of the Nigerian government.

According to her, the bill would further weaken the states and local government areas in Nigeria that had purportedly gone bankrupt due to usurpation of their functions by the federal government, if it becomes law.

The statement read in part: “We have studied the Water Resources Bill and we found no sense in it. Our Country Representative in Nigeria reported that this is a facade and a complete hijack of the assets of indigenous people, especially, in the South and Middle-Belt parts of the country.

“For the sake of ordinary people, who may not understand the danger ahead, the implications of the Water Resources Bill is that Osun-Osogbo River, Erin-Ijesha Water Fall, Asejire Water and others, which are tourist sites that generate millions of naira monthly to Osun State Government will now be administered by the Central Government.

“Specifically, it means that the administration of Osun-Osogbo Festival will now be determined by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in Abuja. 

“The implication of the Water Resources Bill is that the administration and control of Ipole/Iloro Water Fall, Ikogosi Warms Spring, Ado-Ekiti Water Works, Ero River, Ogidigbi Stream, Iyemero Water, all in Ekiti State now belong to the Central Government of Nigeria. The Central Government of Nigeria already hijacked the resources of the States and Local Government Areas by pocketing 53 per cent of the entire revenue accrued to the Federation Account.

“Now, the same government is extending its penchant for asset grabbing by attempting to hijack, for instance, Oguta Lake from the people of Oguta in Imo State, Awhum Waterfall and Cave from the people of Amaugwe village of Awhum town in Enugu State, Enemabia Warm Spring from the people of Benue State, Agbokim Waterfalls from the government of Cross Rivers State, among others.”

Similarly, the Coordinator of another Diaspora Group, called ‘IlanaUK’, Dr. Olusola Oni, described the National Water Resources Bill as a continuation of the principle of ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’ that the British imposed on the Yoruba Nation by the Amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914.

Oni in a statement said that the proposed legislation contravened the provisions of Article 1 of the UN Charter and of the 1960 de-colonisation resolution of the General Assembly.