It’s State Govts role, not FG to provide water for citizens ― Minister

Mr Suleiman Adamu, the Minister of Water Resources, has called on State Governments to take up the responsibility of providing water for its people.

Adamu made this call at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja on Friday.

He said that many state governments were not investing in the project and had abandoned their responsibility for the Federal Government.

“It is not the role of the Federal Government to provide water. The role of the ministry is to provide bulk water and manage the water resources of this country.

“Whatever we are doing is just an intervention to complement the efforts of the states.

“The primary responsibility for watersupply rest with the states that is why this ministry does not run Water Corporation.

“It is only the FCT, which is a territorial administration in Abuja that runs a water board. FCT is a territory, so it is like a state. So that needs to be made clear, so whatever we are doing is just an intervention to complement the efforts of the states.

“What I have realised is that in the past 10 or so years, many states, unfortunately, have abdicated their responsibility, they are not investing in water and sanitation.

That is why you see communities in the remotest end writing to the ministry to provide water scheme in their locations.

“It is not our responsibility. But if they are special situations like the IDP camps, and so on, those are places that we can also intervene.’’

Adamu said that the Federal Government brought the concept of Partnership for Expanded WaterSupply, Sanitation & Hygiene (PEWASH) as a way of making state governments invest in water and sanitation.

The minister stressed the fact that the state governors and local governments needed to invest in WASH and make it a priority.

“If not, we are not going anywhere, we cannot run this only from Abuja.’’[NAN]