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Governors ask state attorney-generals to review Water Bill

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Kayode Fayem

Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has said that they would subject the controversial National Water Resources Bill 2020, to each state’s attorney-general and council to review.

The NGF said after the state attorney-generals and state councils were done with analysing the water bill and related provisions, they would then take a position on the issue.

This was part of the outcome of the 17th teleconference meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).

Their decision came after the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Hussein Adamu made a presentation on the bill and related issues.

The NGF, in a communiqué issued on Thursday at the end of the meeting said, “The minister emphasised that the basic philosophy behind the Bill is to integrate water resources management in the country by bringing all laws related to water resources management into one consolidated code.

READ ALSO: Water bill an obnoxious, draconian, imperialistic anti-people’s legislation —HURIWA

“He noted that the new bill is consistent with the Land Use Act, and will promote equitable development, management, use and conservation of Nigeria’s surface and groundwater resources.”

In the communiqué by its chairman and Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, the NGF applauded Adamu for taking an integrated approach on water resource management as a national good.

The NGF, however, said it had “resolved that the proposed bill and other relevant laws including the River Basins Development Authorities Act 2004; the Natural Water Resources Act 2004; and the Nigeria Hydrological Resources Act 2004 will be reviewed by their Attorneys General and Executive Councils of States after which a common position of States will be presented to Water Resources Minister”.

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