Minister: Controversy over water resources bill caused by deliberate misinformation

Suleiman Adamu, minister of water resources, says the controversy over the water resources bill was caused by deliberate misinformation.

In 2020, the water resources bill sparked controversy, as many Nigerians argued that the proposed law gives the federal government undue control over water resources.

The proposed bill was rejected in the eighth national assembly, and later reintroduced in the current assembly as an executive bill.

The house of representatives initially passed the bill and later withdrew it amid criticism of the proposed law.

Speaking during a state house media briefing on Thursday, Adamu said the ministry is still working with the national assembly on the passage of the bill.

The minister said Nigerians were “deliberately misinformed” about the proposed law, adding that the bill is necessary for the development of water resources in the country.

He bemoaned how some persons gave the bill “ethnic and Fulani herdsmen” coloration in the attempt to mislead the public.

He noted that provisions of the proposed law are already in four extant laws, adding that the bill was drafted in 2006, before the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We’re still working with the national assembly on this bill. I think probably they were so engrossed with the PIB and the electoral bill, which are, of course, serious national priorities, and they were not able to come to talk about it,” he said.

“But already, we have done all the things that needed to be done. The issue that was raised, the technical issue about gazetting had been addressed. So, the bill is still before the national assembly.

“Obviously, I have said so much about this bill. People have been deliberately misinformed. The bill was deliberately politicised unnecessarily; something that is good for the development of the country.

“The first purpose of bringing this bill was to put all these bills under one booklet, instead of having four separate laws — just consolidate them into one statute.

“So, on the basis of that, powers that were hitherto vested in the minister of water resources, are being devolved to the communities, to stakeholders within the basins.

“And what this means is that whereas on the basis of the water resources act that is existing, I, as Minister, can’t determine where any project can be put without any recourse to anybody. Under this new integrated water resources management concept, we’ll have to go down and talk to the communities involved.

“So, we are democratising the process of water resources development in this country. And some people went to town and say that we want to cheat people. The exact thing of what this bill is trying to do is what is being fed into the minds of people. And I don’t understand why. We’ve talked, we’ve talked and we’ll keep talking. Well, we’re committed to this.”