The Center for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR) has raised fears on the resurface of an obnoxious “National Water Resources Bill”, said to have been rejected in 2018 by the National Assembly (NASS).
The group in a statement signed by its National President Comrade Alex Omotehinse, described those pushing of the bill at all cost in the federal legislature, as having ulterior motive.
“We are of the opinion and suspicion that the returning of the Bill, have some ulterior motive for pushing it at all cost, because the plot to ram it through the federal legislature speaks volume of some hidden agenda.
“This Bill to us is out to rob many people in broad day light of their means of livelihood, therefore it deserves outright rejection and condemnation, because It is to the disadvantage of the indigenous people especially in the Southern region of Nigeria, of our God-given water resources.
“The National Assembly is hereby adviced to once again, trash the Bill to save the country as the representatives of the people to avoid another round of crisis in the already volatile polity.
“When the Bill was first introduced in the Senate of the 8th Assembly, it generated controversy across the country, because of its desire to have the Federal Government take control of lands and water resources in the country.
“The Bill seeks to bring all water resources (surface and underground) and the banks of the water sources under the control of the Federal Government through its agencies to be established by the Bill.
● Section 13 of the Bill, states, “in implementing the principles under subsection (2) of this section, the institutions established under this Act shall promote integrated water resources management and the coordinated management of land and water resources, surface water and ground water resources, river basins and adjacent marine and coastal environment and upstream and downstream interests.”
● Section 2(1) of the Bill, says: “All surface water and ground water wherever it occurs, is a resource common to all people.’’ the Bill is for passage by the House on their resumption from recess by September 2020.
“The Bill, if passed into law, will affect the state and local government authorities as well as individuals from making use of the water at their backyard without permit from Abuja.
“This development will lead to serious protest across Nigeria and the result would be water wars, which would be more than the arguements over grazing land and oilfields.
The CHSR hereby calls on all well meaning Nigerians, to be ready for a protracted resistance to this move by our lawmakers.
“We are also using this medium to implore all our communities to opposed this anti-people’s bill, it’s aimed at grabbing land and waterways .
“They should urgently organize an emergency stakeholder parley for our representatives to demand cogent explanations of this latest move and their roles in it.”
Latest1 day ago
Crime3 days ago
Editorial6 days ago
Agribusiness5 days ago
Business5 days ago
Featured5 days ago
Agribusiness3 days ago
Crime3 days ago