Water Bill: Again,
Buhari moves to
take over lucrative
mineral resources
of Southern
Nigeria
Unlike Mr Buhari’s arid northern region,
Southern Nigeria has coastal areas and a
vast expanse of inland water bodies.
OYINDAMOLA OLUBAJO • JULY 16, 2021
President Muhammadu Buhari
resident Muhammadu Buhari
on Thursday called on the
National Assembly to quickly
pass the National Water Resources
Bill, a demand that could overheat a
simmering anger from politicians and
policy experts from Southern Nigeria
who said the bill was yet another
evidence of Buhari regime’s
determination to subjugate the
resource-rich section of the country.
The bill was rejected twice in 2018
and 2020 when Mr Buhari pushed it,
arguing that it was to ensure access
to adequate potable water amongst
all Nigerians.
But the language of the bill
contradicted the president’s claim.
The bill was designed to give control
of all water bodies in Nigeria to the
federal government, a proposal that
critics said made a mockery of raging
clamour for a restructured and
decentralised Nigeria.
Another part of the bill also pushed
for citizens to get federal permission
to drill bore holes in their homes or
businesses premises, a move that
analysts said will worsen access to
potable water as obtaining permits
from the government will be
cumbersome and riddled with
corruption.
Currently, Nigerians have legal rights
to drill a well in their private
residences in order to have access to
the essential mineral. Only a few
cities have intermittent supply of
water through their various water
boards. Mr Buhari has also been
accused of pushing the controversial
bill in order to seize the remaining
critical mineral resources under state
and local authorities in Southern
Nigeria.
Unlike Mr Buhari’s arid northern
region, Southern Nigeria has coaster
areas and a vast expanse of inland
water bodies.
About a year after the bill was
rejected again, Mr Buhari renewed
his demand on Thursday for the
passage of his proposal during the
inauguration of the Zobe Regional
Water Supply Scheme in Katsina,
urging other state governments to
build strong partnerships with the
federal government to provide
infrastructure for Nigerians.
The president maintained that his
administration would work tirelessly
to ensure that Nigerians can access
potable water supply and sanitation
facilities.
For the president, this can only be
achieved based on the “need to
mobilise funds from all sources
including the private sector.”
This, according to the president, is
“where the need for quick passage of
the National Water Resources Bill
that made provision for the National
WASH Fund, as well as regulatory
environment for private sector
involvement in the sector, become
relevant.”
He added, “I, therefore, call on the
National Assembly to give attention
to the Bill towards its passage into
law as soon as possible.”
Mr Buhari boasted that his
administration was committed to
developing the water sector since it
took over power in 2015.
In his remarks, the Minister of Water
Resources, Suleiman Adamu, noted
that 106 water projects were left
uncompleted by previous
administrations.
The bill that seeks to transfer water
resources from states to the federal
government was first forwarded to
the National Assembly in 2017.
While it was forwarded to be passed
into law, many Nigerians kicked
against it, forcing the eighth
assembly’s hand to dump the bill.
However, it was reintroduced in 2020
by Abubakar Fulata, chairman of the
House of Representatives Committee
on Rules and Business.
Among those who criticised the bill
were Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka
and Governor Samuel Ortom, who
described the bill as “another version
of RUGA.”
Mr Ortom stated, “The bill, in
addition to its provisions, which are
at variance with the Land Use Act is
disguised land-grabbing legislation,
designed to grant pastoralists
unhindered access to river basins,
adjacent marine and coastal
environments across the country.
“The bill is another version of RUGA,
whose objective is to create grazing
areas in the 36 states of the
federation for herders and their
livestock.”
On his part, Mr Soyinka said the ‘Bill
on National Water Resources 2020’
was designed to hand Aso Rock
Absolute control over the nation’s
entire water resources, both over and
underground.
“The basic facilitator of human
existence, water – forget for now all
about streams of righteousness! – is
to become exclusive to one
centralized authority,” he added.
source: https://gazettengr.com/water-bill-again-buhari-moves-to-take-over-lucrative-mineral-resources-of-southern-nigeria/

The north is back

Lalasticlala front page

Buhari the joker, bandits won't allow in drink water and drop cup in the north so he decides to govern only the south. He should battle the evil he allowed to blossom in the north before nosing into the peaceful south.

Again with this water bill so Fulani herdsmen can take over people's lands? This is not different from Ruga, grazing reserves or grazing routes and since they have failed with those, they want to pass this water bill at all cost. It will also fail. Stvpid c0w govt.

This evil bill can not be passed if all the national assembly members from the middle belt and southern nigeria can unite and refused to assent to it where is buhari and his fulani jihadist brothers going to get the numbers from to get it passed?
The people of niger delta whose environment have been destroyed by oil exploration over the years will definitely fight to the death to reject this evil bill from hell.

It is clear, only war or violence can rest the skulls of this fulanis.

Nope, that bill will not be passed, make our representatives from south no try am or else...

These people again. Buhari sha wan grab lands at all cost for his Fulani tribe.

tamdun:
Nope, that bill will not be passed, make our representatives from south no try am or else...

or else what? Shout , kick and stamp our feet on social media while they carry out their plan with the aid of slaves representing us in the house as usual.

Abeg I don tire.