The Senate at its plenary session of Thursday, 24 May 2018, suspended consideration of the National Water Resources Bill, 2018 (SB 479) for passage till its next legislative sitting on Wednesday, 30 May, 2018. The Bill seeks to establish a regulatory framework as well as provide for equitable and sustainable development, management, use and conservation of water resources in Nigeria.

Presenting the report on the Bill, Sen. Ubali Shittu (APC: Jigawa), Chairman, Committee on Water Resources said that the objectives of the Bill includes:

• Providing a regulatory framework for the water resources sector in Nigeria;
• Ensuring that the nation’s water resources are properly protected, used, developed, conserved, managed and controlled;
• Enhancing citizens’ rights of access to clean water and sanitation;
• Reducing and preventing the degradation and pollution of aquatic environment; and
• Promoting public-private partnerships in the development and management of infrastructure on water resources.

Sen. Shittu mentioned that the Committee held a 2-day public hearing on the Bill to avail key stakeholders the opportunity to make inputs on the proposed legislation. He explained that the Bill, if passed, would address issues resulting to poor management of water resources in the country.

However, during the clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill, most lawmakers expressed concerns over the provisions of the bill that deals with the Public Trusteeship of Water as the provision gives the Federal Government the right to use, manage and control all surface and ground water including Water Beds and Banks across the country. Many lawmakers expressed views that the said provisions were ambiguous and non-implementable and could create hostilities among communities if it was not clarified.

The Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki (APC: Kwara) also appeared to accept these objections as he mandated the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the Committees on Water Resources, Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters; and the Director of Legal Services to carry out further legislative scrutiny of the Bill and report its findings at the plenary session on Wednesday, 30 May 2018.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, in a letter dated 11 April 2017, had requested that the Senate considers the Bill after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in 2016 approved a draft National Water Resources Bill, the National Water Policy and National Irrigation Policy as part of its measures to enhance the quality of water resources in the country.