The Federal Government has said that changes in the climate condition have had significant effect on Nigeria’s water’s natural cycle.
It also said that high temperature from gas pollution has brought about the world’s climate to dangerous levels.
Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, represented by Mrs Agnes Aneke, stated this during a press briefing held in Abuja on Wednesday, to mark this year’s annual World Water Day with the theme: ‘Accelerating Change’.
She explained that the climate change has exposed humans to water related disasters, disease outbreaks, water shortages and droughts, adding that the situation has has caused damage to infrastructure as well as food production and supply chains.
The permanent secretary pointed out that the theme for the year was a call to reawakening on the number of people that lack access to safe water and sanitation.
Mrs Didi further expressed that with no concerted effort to make available water for all, there may be setback to “reaching our goal of safely managed water and sanitation for all by 2030” in the country.
According to report from United Nations, out of every 100 people on earth, 25 fetch all their water from open streams and ponds, 22 use dirty, dangerous or broken latrines, while 44 others use from the waste water that flow back into nature untreated, which have caused deteriorating health and environmental consequences.
Also in her statement, she stated that objective of the event was to galvanize action towards provision of potable water while meeting the target of year 2030 and in accordance to the SDG 6.1 and 6.2.
“The objective of this global event is to galvanize action towards active response to water crisis and seek out innovative measures to improve access to potable water supply while achieving the target set out in the sustainable development goal 6- water and sanitation for all by 2030”.
“In furtherance, as water cannot be achieved without proper hygienic and sanitation practices, likewise the challenges related to water resources management must be addressed to ensure country wide access, adequacy and sustainability,” the Permanent Secretary stated.
Didi mentioned that PEWASH programme, Clean Nigeria: use the toilet campaign, construction of dams for water supply, upscaling WASH intervention programmes, amongst others are part of initiatives by the Buhari Administration to address the issues of water and other related matters.
Key partner of the event, United Nations Educational, Scientific and cultural Organisation, UNESCO, representative, Enang Moma, who made presentation of the United Nations 2023 World Water Development Report, WWDR stated that “achieving universal coverage by 2030 will require a quadrupling of current rates of progress in WASH services’
She added that to achieve the set target in all water-related goals, cooperation from all stakeholders and individuals are paramount.
Goodwill messages also from Food and Agricultural Organisation, FAO; FAWM, UNIC, FORDMAX Nig, Coca-Cola among other partners.
Other highlight to commemorate the 2023 WWD event was presentation of award to the Government Day Secondary School, GSS, Dutse, Abuja and commissioning of WASH facility at Junior Sec. Sch., Gwarimpa.
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