Water ministry seeks funding to enhance access for Nigerians

Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, Minister of Water Resources, who was accompanied on the budget defence session by some officials of the ministry, its agencies and parastatals, noted that the ministry had embarked on a lot of projects that could impact on the lives of the people but found their implementation difficult due to inadequate funding.She […]

Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, Minister of Water Resources, who was accompanied on the budget defence session by some officials of the ministry, its agencies and parastatals, noted that the ministry had embarked on a lot of projects that could impact on the lives of the people but found their implementation difficult due to inadequate funding.
She said, however, that the ministry was working hard to ensure that all projects are completed.
Earlier, the Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources, Rep. Aliyu Pategi, urged the ministry to ensure that water components of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were achieved.
He emphasised that the initiatives to achieve the MDGs be put into consideration while preparing the budget, adding that the N38.8 billion appropriation for 2014 is inadequate for the water sector to achieve its goals.
He said that his committee has observed that some of the water projects that have utmost impact on lives of the people were yet to be completed due to inadequate funding.
He promised the committee’s assistance in ensuring that more funds are made available. “Because of under budgeting, a lot of projects were abandoned and this trend has to stop,” he said.