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GROUNDWATER: NIGERIANS ADVISED TO PATRONIZE HYDROGEOLOGISTS IN BOREHOLE DRILLING
The Honourable Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu FNSE, FAEng has advised Nigerians to patronize professionally trained Hydrogeologists,not Quacks in the drilling of boreholes to avoid abortive boreholes.
Engr. Adamu stated this on Monday 21st March 2022 at the Press Briefing held at the NTA Headquarters Abuja, after the Sensitization walk in preparation for the commemoration of 2022 World Water Day coming up on 22nd March, with the theme ‘Groundwater: making the invisible visible’ .
The Minister who was represented by the Director General, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Engr. Clement Nze FNSE, FNAH, referred to water as the most precious of natural resources with groundwater being the primary source of drinking water for half of the world’s population.
Speaking on the importance of groundwater, Engr. Adamu noted that it calls for sustainable and judicious exploitation so that abstraction could keep pace with recharge of the aquifers to avoid depletion of the aquifers.
The Minister also remarked that the greatest challenge of groundwater in Nigeria is pollution through the activities of men which include petroleum exploitation which leads to leakage of petroleum products into aquifers.
He affirmed that other challenges include use of agro-chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides) in agriculture, over abstraction of groundwater, saline water intrusion, discharge of industrial effluents into bare soil, rivers and streams with little or no treatment, as well as mining and quarrying activities.
In order to avoid groundwater crisis, Engr Adamu enjoined the general public, the States and Local Governments to intensify efforts to stop groundwater pollution, shortage of water due to over abstraction and uncoordinated drilling as presently observed in our nation.
He advised state governments and other stakeholders should replicate the groundwater monitoring efforts of the Federal Government to boost the existing groundwater monitoring network density, adding that Industries that depend mainly on groundwater as their source of water supply should have an ancillary monitoring well.
Still on activities to commemorate the 2022 World Water Day, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack mni at the commissioning of Constructed Water, Sanitation and Hygiene facility at junior Secondary School karon Majigi in the Federal Capital Territory stated that the project was to commemorate the 2022 world water day.
The Permanent Secretary who was represented by the Director Special Duties, Ministry of Water resources, Mr. Peter Nwankpa noted that the Ministry since 2018 embarked on intervention projects such as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene facilities for Institutions, Internally Displaced Persons in the North East and public places to stop Open Defecation, reduce cholera outbreak and other Water borne diseases in all States of the Federation.
In his welcome address, the Chairman, Universal Basic Education Board, Alhaji Alhassan Sule, represented by Hajiya Ramatu Nusa commended the Ministry and said that Open Defecation causes cholera, and the hygiene facility will help to reduce deaths caused by lack of hygiene and Sanitation.
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