Connect with us

Politics

Minister, Adamu, alleges Nigerians using Water Resources Bill as political tool against Buhari govt

Published

on

Buhari’s Minister begs court for more time to account for spendings on water projects

The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, has accused some Nigerians of using the Water Resources Bill as a political tool to wage war against the Muhammadu Buhari-led adminstration.

The water bill had caused heated controversy since it was presented again at the National Assembly for re-consideration.

A lot of Nigerians had interpreted the bill as a sinister scheme to grab the waterways and reassign them to Fulani pastoralists.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after the weekly virtual Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by the President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, Suleiman urged Nigerians to allow the National Assembly do due diligence on the bill.

He noted that the law-making arm was charged with the sole responsibility of making laws and must be allowed to do the needful on the bill.

Read also:Nothing new about National Water Resources Bill, Nigerian govt says

He said: “Some people have chosen to interpret it the way they want it. Some people have decided to use it as a political tool against the government. But we are confident that we have wise men in the legislature that will do the needful, the same way they have been treating all other bills in the past.

“We have met with the Governors’ Forum. They appointed a technical committee made up of Attorneys-General to look at the draft bill. They came back with their observation before we even went back to say we sent these observations along with a redraft.

“When we got their observations, we appointed an environmental expert, Professor Olarewaju Fagbohun, SAN, to review the entire thing alongside the observations of the Governors’ Forum. He did that, put the necessary things in check and that is what we have re-presented to the National Assembly. So, we have responded to the needs and the concerns of everybody. So, I think now is to allow the National Assembly to do its work.”

The Minister also dismissed insinuations that the bill, if assented to, would lead to land grab to the detriment of some Nigerians.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now