FG, JICA collaborate to develop water master plan

Federal government has officially received the revised edition of Integrated National Water Resources Master Plan document from Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA). The document was developed by the ministry of water resources in partnership with the JICA. The first edition was formulated, also with JICA partnership, in 1995.

Minister of water resources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, who received the document of on behalf of the president, has also inaugurated project monitoring unit team that would monitor the implementation of the plan.

She said that the Master Plan will have to be revised every 15 years because of changes such as increase in population, increase in water demand, globalization, climate change and many other related activities that have occurred over the years.

In a statement signed by the head of information unit of the ministry, Mrs Boade Akinola, and made available to Blueprint yesterday, the minister said that the agency commenced the review of the document in August 2011.

Ochekpe said that the final report of the document therefore was a guide to all activities in the water sector not only at the federal level but also the states and local government levels as well as all the private stakeholders in the water sector.

In his presentation the chief representative for JICA, Mr. Seki Tetsuo, said that the revised edition of the document marks the beginning of new era in the water sector in Nigeria

However, he said the master plan would not do magic if we do not implement and follow the plan as scheduled. “I will like to convey some requests to Nigerian counterparts; first federal ministry of water resources should make strong assurances and commitment for the implementation of the master plan by playing the central role among relevant ministries department and agencies”.
While encouraging International development partners to incorporate the Master Plan in their projects he called for meaningful discussion between federal state and local governments on how to utilize the document.