• Mark, Aliyu seek legislation to enable citizens sue govts over amenities
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan Monday said Nigeria needs over N350 billion ($1.91 billion) yearly to meet its water and sanitation targets.
He disclosed this at the opening of a two-day Presidential Summit on Water at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said that a situation whereby rural and sub-urban areas do not have access to clean water is unacceptable.
He spoke just as Senate President, Senator David Mark and Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, agreed on the need for a legislation that would give citizens the right to sue governments if they cannot have access to their basic needs.
Aliyu said that such legislation is needed to make governments perform in delivering the dividend of governance to the people.
Corroborating Aliyu's views, Mark said: "I agree with Governor Babangida Aliyu that citizens should have the right to sue state governments if they fail to provide water to the people."
President Jonathan said in line with his administration's transformation agenda, it has become necessary to implement a more cooperative, more radical programme of action to meet the nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
He stated that for the nation to meet its MDG targets, Federal and state governments must work together, insisting that a situation where a lot of money is spent to provide water but management becomes an issue, should no longer be tolerated.
President Jonathan lauded the investments made by successive administrations in urban, small town and rural water supply programmes.
Under his administration, he said: "Investments were made to boost various aspects of the sector, from the line budget and special funds dedicated to ecological matters and natural resources development and also through the repair and rehabilitation of water supply infrastructure. In 2011, we spent N40.94 billion. In 2012, the sum of N43.6 billion was spent.
"This does not include our expenditure in the following projects: Goronyo Dam, N3.4 billion; Kashimbila Dam, N38 billion; Gurara Dam and irrigation, N36 billion; Ife Dam, N3 billion. In 2013, we have proposed N39 billion from line budget to be spent on water-related projects. This will be in addition to funds the sector will receive from special intervention funds."
He expressed the hope that at the end of the summit, they will consider how best to leverage resources with those of development partners and the international community to strengthen the effort towards meeting the set targets in 2015.
In more concrete and specific terms, Jonathan said the summit should • "identity the major issues militating against optimal water infrastructure development and its sustainability, as well as evolve innovative funding to ameliorate this situation;
• "Redefine the intervention approaches in the water sector through funding sources' diversification and highlight the business potential and existing profitability assets;
• "Facilitate linkages and engagements between investors and innovators towards expansion and scaling up of innovation on water services in the country; and
• "Critically review the present financing and investment models in the sector; determine which model works and the opportunities that exist for leveraging resources from non-traditional sources in the light of growing competing needs".
On his part, former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said the subject of water and speedy action was long overdue. He added that with 70 per cent of the human body made up of water; it is an essential aspect of sanitation, agriculture and water transportation.
"That is why we have to think out of the box to provide water sustainable for human needs. Innovation may mean we need to do what we used to do differently, seeking new ways. More hands have to be on deck to achieve the purpose we need to do. We need to realise that business as usual will not get us there," he said.
The Guardian