The minister of water resources, Suleiman Adamu, has reacted to a scorecard (rating) of his performance one year in office.
In the official’s reaction, sent in by Kenechukwu Offie, the ministry’s director of information, Mr Adamu said he was given fewer credits than he deserved. He equally reeled a list of achievements he said were not captured in the report.
PREMIUM TIMES, in recent weeks, has published reports on the performances of virtually all the ministers appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari about one year ago. Mr Adamu’s performance was also rated.
The ratings were based on their promises upon assumption of office, challenges, their failures and achievements including objective assessments from experts in their fields of operation.
In Mr Adamu’s case, his performance was described as “woeful” by an expert in the water sector. Other experts, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES said they were unable to rate him high, due to his dismal record.
But Ms Offie said the analysis was ‘wrong’ “in view of the myriad of accomplishments under the dexterous watch of Suleiman Adamu”.
“The Minister who sees water as having assumed human right dimension and very important to life had maintained that the relevance of water to Nigeria’s national development is very pivotal to population growth, urbanisation and increased efforts at agriculture and industrial development…”
His full response is reproduced below:
SCORECARD: APPRAISING THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES UNDER ENGR. SULEIMAN H. ADAMU FNSE, FAEng.
The attention of the Information Unit of Federal Ministry of Water Resources has been drawn to a scorecard evaluation on the work of Engr. Suleiman Adamu FNSE, FAEng who is the Honourable Minister following his reappointment by President Buhari in August 2019 by Premium Times, an online News Medium.
In its online publication on the 16th of September, 2020, the news medium scored the Ministry under Adamu as underperforming, stating that the Ministry had been focusing more on advocacy visits to states across the country to campaign against open defecation in the last one year. The narrative opined that it is difficult to point out any achievement by the Ministry in the last one year. The report equally maintained that the Ministry failed because it did not provide potable water for Nigerians.
This evaluation is very wrong and appears to be as a result of a poorly researched work in view of the myriad of accomplishments under the dexterous watch of Suleiman Adamu. The Minister who sees Water as having assumed Human right dimension and very important to life had maintained that the relevance of water to Nigeria’s national development is very pivotal to population growth, urbanization and increased efforts at agriculture and industrial development. This relevance he said has increasingly brought to fore very key issues of our existence, thus occasioning the need for increased access to water for Nigerians.
Suffice it to note that Water Resources is on the concurrent list and the specific role of the Ministry is policy, administration and regulation of the Water Resources development and Management.
“The Water Sector is a pillar for food security, job creation, and water supply, sanitation and hydropower generation” Adamu had said at his most recent Ministerial Press Briefing in August 2020.
ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS
The Minister’s desire for a well repositioned sector in the last one year is borne out of the Next Level Agenda’ of President Muhammadu Buhari focusing on the three cardinal issues of economic diversification, social inclusiveness and security which are succinctly aligned with the vision, mission and mandate of the Ministry.
Furthermore, the activities of the Ministry under the leadership of Adamu is guided by three major strongholds which are The National Water Resources Master plan (2015 – 2030); United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; and the Water Sector Roadmap (2016 – 2030).
The Ministry fully implemented the WASH Action Programme in the last 12 months where 34 water supply projects have been completed, 159 rural water supply schemes in the North East, IDP camps and some Federal institutions and establishments were constructed, 895 water supply schemes in 10 States of Imo, Katsina, Jigawa, Plateau, Zamfara, Sokoto, Ondo, Osun, Delta and Bauchi are under construction, rehabilitation and upgrade leading to additional 2.4 million Nigerians gaining access to Water Supply in the last 12 months.
The River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) have now been strategically placed to facilitate National Food Security and support employment opportunities.The RBDAs are being constantly revitalized to deliver on their mandate, to the extent that core and relevant Professionals are appointed to the headship of the Agencies.
For optimal utilization of River Basin Development Agency land and irrigation facilities and to support diversification of the economy, guarantee food security and job creation for Nigerians, the Ministry is expanding hectares for irrigation farming as follows:
- Ejule-Ojebe (50 ha);
- Sector 1 of Gari Irrigation Project (248ha);
- Bakalori Irrigation Scheme (4,825ha);
- Kano River Irrigation Scheme (1,600ha);
- Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme (2,250ha);
- Rehabilitation of Duku-Lade Irrigation Project (800h).
- Additional 2000 Ha has been leased out to commercial farmers bringing the total to 55,000 Ha from 2016 to date.
The Songhai Model, an integrated Agricultural Practice introduced to boost Agricultural production and achieve integrated rural development has been replicated in five RBDAs and till date, 253 farmlands have been leased to the private sector for commercial farming, out of which 181 are fully utilized. Also, the process of partial commercialization of four pilot RBDAs which includes Ogun-Osun, Niger-Delta, Upper Niger and Sokoto-Rima are underway.
Similarly, during the year under review, the Ministry’s efforts on improving Sanitation in the country led to the Flag-off of the “Clean Nigeria: Use The Toilet” Campaign in November, 2019 towards making Nigeria Open Defecation Free by 2025.
Likewise, the promulgation of the Executive Order No. 009 in November 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari to end Open Defecation by 2025 has yielded Certification of additional 14 LGAs being Open Defecation Free (ODF) in the last 12 months while 10 LGAs are awaiting ODF validation.
The Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) is another flag-ship initiative of this administration where the Federal Government and the States come in partnership to provide water supply in the country, this initiative has led 22 State Governments to endorse the PEWASH protocols while 11 more States have recently signed up bringing the total to 33 states.
In line with Mr. President’s desire to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years, the Ministry has ensured that both direct and indirect jobs are created in the Implementation of its projects and programmes. A total of 57,261 direct jobs and 111,588 indirect jobs have been created through the various dam, irrigation and water supply projects completed within the reporting period.
To combat the Covid-19 pandemic, which has impacted on all aspects of our lives causing untold hardship and stress to the populace, potable water, sanitation and hygiene are critical to the eradication of the virus, the Ministry has taken strategic steps to help fight the pandemic even with budgetary constraints.
The Ministry is rehabilitating 185 Water Supply Projects in the 36 States of the Federation and FCT, constructing 185 Solar Powered Water Supply Projects (5 per State and FCT), constructing 370 Public Sanitation Facilities (10 per State and FCT), supporting State Water Agencies for their operations to ensure uninterrupted Water Supply, suppling 370 Contactless Hand washing Facilities with Soap and Sanitizers (10 per State and FCT) and engaging 77,400 Youth Volunteers for Handwashing and Open Defecation Free Campaigns.
The determination and unrelenting quest to improve access to potable water, reduce the incidence of water borne diseases, improve sanitation facilities, enhance food security through irrigation agriculture and the implementation of water resources projects and programmes according to international best practices has been Engr. Adamu’s cardinal goal since he assumed office as Minister of Water Resources.
The Ministry also is in the process of commencing a Management Master Plan Study for Rivers Niger and Benue. The project is designed to improve navigation, flood control, agriculture for enhanced food production and minimize cost of dredging the river channels. It will also engender prosperity accruable from fresh water supply and other economic activities. Although this is a long-term project, the Ministry has kick-started the process of ensuring its implementation.
The Agencies and Parastatals under the Ministry include the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission, National Water Resources Institute and the 12 River Basin Development Agencies (RBDAs). These agencies and parastatals are also vehicles through which the Ministry contributes to the socio-economic activities of the nation:
However, even though a lot has been said about the inadequacy of water supply in the States. it is not the responsibility of the Federal Government to provide Water in households or industrial use. The Federal Government however strategically works to provide support to various States on needs basis, up to 30% for urban and 50% for rural water supply schemes respectively.
It is as a result of the lack of investments of the state and local governments in providing potable water to the people that the Ministry under the leadership of the of the Hon Minister introduced the PEWASH programme in 2016 and the National WASH Action Plan which led to the formal declaration of a State Emergency in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector by President Buhari in November, 2018.
It is noteworthy that upon assumption of duty in 2015, the Hon Minister embarked upon Project Prioritization and Completion.
A total of 116 Nos on-going and abandoned contracts/projects were inherited in 2015, made up of:
i. Irrigation & Drainage – 38Nos
ii. Dams & Reservoir – 37Nos
iii. Water Supply – 41Nos
Many of the projects were either abandoned or comatose because they required review of scope/cost and/or lacked consistent funding to complete. Outstanding liabilities on these contracts stood at N 88,848,112,579.77 with total contractual commitment to completion projected at N 264,990,081,982.53.
3.2.2 Early in 2016, a Technical Audit was conducted, and all the 116 uncompleted and abandoned projects were categorized into high, medium and low priorities (Summary of Technical Audit Report is available in the Ministry) Resources were committed towards completing and commissioning some of the high and medium priority projects between 2017-2020. Projects that were ascertained as non-viable by the Technical Audit have been cancelled or determined. So far, the following eleven (11) projects have been completed and commissioned:
- Central Ogbia Regional Water Project, Bayelsa State
- Northern Ishan Regional Water Supply Project, Edo State
- Rehabilitation of Ojirami Dam Water Supply Project, Edo State
- Sabke Water Supply Project, Katsina State
- Dutsi Water Supply Project, Katsina State
- Mashi Water Supply Project, Katsina State
- Takum Water Supply Project, Taraba State
- Sabke Irrigation Project, Katsina State
- Rehabilitation of Kargo Dam, Jaji, Kaduna State
- Ekeremor Water Supply Project, Bayelsa, State.
- Mangu Water Supply Project, Plateau State
- Federal University of Agriculture, Markudi Water Supply Project, Benue State
The following five (5) projects have also been completed and are ready for commissioning.
- Kashimbila Dam, Taraba State
- Shagari Irrigation Project, Sokoto State
- Galma Dam, Kaduna State.
- Ahmadu Bello University Water Supply Project, Kaduna State.
3.3.4 Many more ongoing water supply, dam and Irrigation projects are scheduled to be completed between now and end of 2020, including the following:
Water Supply Projects
i. Inyishi Water Supply Project, Imo State
ii. Zobe Water Supply Project, Katsina State
iii. Ivo Water Project, Enugu State
iv. Rehabilitation and Reticulation of Fugar Water Works, Edo State
v. Dukku Regional Water Supply Project, Gombe State
vi. Ilesha Water Supply Project, Osun State
vii. Kazaure Water Supply Project, Jigawa State
viii. Otor-Iyede Water Supply Project, Delta State
Dam & Irrigation Projects
i. Middle Ogun Irrigation Project, Oyo State
ii. Middle Rima Valley Irrigation Project, Sokoto State
iii. Gari Irrigation Project, Kano/Jigawa States
iv. Kontagora Auna Dam Project, Niger State
v. Bagwai Irrigation Project, Kano State
vi. Tada Shonga Irrigation Project, Kwara State
vii. Adani Rice Irrigation Project, Anambra State
viii. Ekuku Dam Project, Kogi State
ix. Lower Anambra Irrigation Project, Anambra State
x. Ile – Ife Dam Project, Osun State
xi. Otukpo Multipurpose Dam Project, Benue State.
Irrigation
3.3.1 Nigeria has about 3.14 million Ha of land suitable for irrigation. However, only 128,097Ha has been developed as at 2015 and about 50,000 Ha of the developed area was lost to failed infrastructure and poor operations and maintenance. The current annual water demand for irrigation in wet and dry seasons including Fadama lands is about 1.926 BCM which translates to about 0.7% of our national internally generated potential. This indicates how much the country has been under utilizing its irrigation potentials.
In order to aid diversification of the economy, guarantee food security and create employment a National Irrigation Development Programme was initiated in 2016 as part of the Water Sector Road map. It is aimed to accomplish the following:
i. Establish additional 100,000Ha of irrigated farmland by 2020 and achieve a total of 500,000Ha by 2030.
ii. An additional 1,000,000Ha of irrigable land to be developed by the private sector and State Governments by 2030.
Current efforts will enable delivery of 41,000Ha by end of 2019.
Details of the status of ongoing Irrigation Projects is contained in the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Report, Volume 2.
3.3.3 The World Bank is supporting the implementation of Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria Project (TRIMING) with a credit facility of US$495million. The Project involves rehabilitation/expansion of about 42,000Ha of irrigation land under the first phase, to be completed by 2022, as follows:
I. Bokolori Irrigation Project (Work commenced in 2017) – 13,500 Ha
II. Kano River Irrigation Project (Contractor commenced — in early 2019) – 14,400 Ha
III. Hadejia Valley Irrigation Project, Construction commenced following the Flag off by President Muhammadu Buhari on 14th May, 2018) – 6,000 Ha
IV. Dadin Kowa Irrigation Project (Procurement process has commenced) – 3,000 Ha
V. Middle Rima Irrigation Project (Studies nearing completion) – 5,000 Ha
It is worthy of note to reiterate that the National Water Resources Bill presently at the NASS is not a new law; rather it is an amalgamation of Water Resources Laws that have been in existence as enshrined in LFN 1`2004. These Laws are:ADVERTISEMENT
a. Water Resources Act, Cap W2 LFN 2004, the River Basin Development Authority Act, Cap R9 LFN 2004,
b. the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (Establishment) Act, Cap N1100A.LFN, 2004 and
c. National Water Resources Institute Act, Cap N83 LFN 2004.
These Laws are being re- enacted with necessary modifications in the new Bill to actualize current global trends and best practices in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). The overall objective is geared towards efficient management of the Water Resources Sector for the economic development of Nigeria and the well-being of its citizens.
In conclusion, I would urge Nigerians to join hands with FG and work together to achieve National growth for the benefit of every Nigerian. The Ministry is poised to consolidate on past gains to set the water sector on the path of enviable growth and development in line with global best practices.
Kenechukwu Offie
Director Information
FMWR.
