New York, United States – The Federal Government of Nigeria has made a decision for collaborative water measures by officially becoming the 48th partner to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.
The government intends to also share at least one transboundary water body with each of its adjacent states, making it an operational partnership and an important aspect of the change measures required to handle difficult water problems.
Speaking at the opening day of the Conference in New York, United States, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, explained that water and weather change knows no boundaries, adding that collaboration on transformation is required to avert defeatist effects.
Adamu also noted that unilateral adaption steps would help in sharing of expenses and advantages of such affiliation.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary for United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Olga Algayerova, said the Convention Parties received Nigeria as the 7th African nation to join the Convention since 2018 after Chad, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Togo, and Cameroon.
He remarked that its addition will additionally crystallize the powerful impetus for water teamwork in the continent and the globe, over 20 countries are in the procedure of joining the UN Water Convention, including other 15 others in Africa, where over 90 percent of water resources are transboundary.
However, a group, Sightsavers Nigeria, has charged stakeholders to guarantee the availability to clean and safe water for Nigerians.
In a report by its Communications Associate, Joy Tarbo, to celebrate the 2023 World Water Day titled: “Valuing Water”, the company emphasized the significance of clean water availability and its effect on eradicating overlooked tropical diseases (NTDs).
She spoke further saying,” We are calling on Nigerians to join the fight for clean water access by taking action to conserve water resources, promoting sustainable water management practices, and advocating for policies that prioritize water access for all.”
Its country coordinator, Dr. Teyil Wamyil-Mshelia, said: “It is necessary that we ensure there is safe water for everyone. As well as the necessity for safe drinking water, sanitation services are essential to attending to and getting rid of diseases like the NTDs.”
