Governors to subject Water Bill 2020 to attorneys-general’s review

Governors have resolved that each state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice will undertake a thorough analysis of the controversial National Water Resources Bill 2020 and related provisions before taking a joint position on the matter.

The governors took the position on Wednesday at the 17th teleconference meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) after a presentation by the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Hussein Adamu, on the Bill and related issues.

A communiqué issued on Thursday by the NGF 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.

“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.”

The NGF, according to the communique by its Chairman and Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, hailed Adamu for taking an integrated approach on water resource management as a national good.

They “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”.