Nigeria’s waters, a matter of concern

The controversial National Water Resources Bill, 2023, has been rejected again. 

The rejection of the bill by the Senate put an end to the controversy among governors and federal lawmakers majorly from the southern part of the country.

Senator James Manager from Delta South who seconded Suswan stressed the need to have details of the bill since the provision was made for only the title of the bill.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan later ruled in favour of the rule cited and adjourned the plenary for the day.

It would be recalled that the House of Representatives passed the bill in 2020 against suspicion by members and the general public.

Before the passage, Chairman of the House Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli, said the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), as well as commissioners for justice and attorneys-general of the 36 states of the federation, had been consulted and the opinions received would be attached to the bill and distributed to all members.

A member of the House from Benue State, Mark Gbillah, had raised the alarm when the bill was to be taken for the first reading.

Only the short title of a bill is written on the order paper for the first reading, while a long title, which has more details, is written when listed for the second reading.

Gbillah said, “I am aware that the matter listed for first reading, the National Water Resources Bill, generated a lot of controversies within this Honourable House and even across the country, and some of us wonder why this issue is still being represented on the floor of the House because some of us are not comfortable in support of this bill in the first instance Mr speaker. I thought I should bring that to the notice of the Right Honourable Speaker.”

By Henry Umoru

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/06/senate-throws-out-controversial-national-water-resources-bill/