The Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleman Adamu, has said that 52.7m Nigerians have no access to water supply in the country.
He disclosed this on Saturday, while delivering a lecture titled “Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Sustainable Development,” to mark the 3rd Founder’s Day ceremony of Edo University, Iyamho, Etsako West local government of Edo state.
The Minister disclosed that Nigeria was not able to meet the Milinium Development Goals Target on access to water supply as a result of the decline in access to water in the rural areas.
Represented at the event by the Managing Director of Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority, Engr. Ahmed Saliu, Adamu said majority of these figures are highly concetrated in rural areas.
He said, “In 2015, the National Water Supply Coverage (NWSC) was 69 percent, comprising of uraban dwellers 80 percent, semi urban (small town) 68 percent and rural areas 60 percent. This implied that 31 percent representing 52.7 million Nigerians did not have access to water supply.
“Inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure, population increase and rapid urbanization have created a serious deficiency in the quality of life of an average Nigerian with dire consequences on sanitation, food, security, health, employment and standard of living.”
Adams disclosed that his Ministry has developed immediate and long-term strategies for water sector 2016 to 2030, tagged “The water sector road map to address the problem.
He noted that with the water sector road map, concerted efforts must be put in place towards achieving 100 percent access to water supply by 2030 in accordance with the newly adopted in accordance with the newly adopted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In his speech, Governor Godwin Obaseki, said plans have been put in place to partner world class Universities in its quest to be one of the best institution in the world.
“This was a goal we set out when we established this University. They’ve done well, but there’s still a lot to be done. Our goal is to make this University a global University, a university that can compare with anyone anywhere in the world. The benchmark is not Nigeria, it’s the world. I want by the next ranking, this University being ranked among the best Universities in the continent,” he said
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor, said they are competing with are global standards in terms of acdemic.
According to him, the institution’s aim is putting the Edo University on the map of the world as a world-class University.
