Federal ministry of water resources in collaboration with stakeholders celebrates the 2022 world water day on Wednesday in Abuja With the theme; “Ground Water: Making the Invisible Visible.
The minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu in his remarks said “22nd March was officially assigned to mark the World Water Day by the united nations General Assembly in 1993”.
Minister said, “As Nigeria joins the rest of the international community and other member countries of United Nations in celebrating water and raising awareness, over 2billion people currently are living without access to clean and safe water.
He further expressed that, Word Water Day is a day set aside to inspire action towards SDG 6 – Water and Sanitation for all by the year 2030.
Adamu, who emphasized on the theme; “Groundwater, making the invisible visible”, said groundwater is refers to water found in our underground Aquifers. Ground water results from precipitation, infiltration, percolation of surface water bodies in the interpore spaces of the earth.
In addition, he said, it is invisible in the sense that you must drill to access it unlike surface water like lakes, rivers and oceans.
The minister who was represented by permanent secretary federal ministry of water resources, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, in her welcome speech said that it is pertinent to note that the slogan for WWD is ‘’ To a Thirsty man, a drop of water is worth more than a sack of gold’’.
She further quoted that “Thousands lived without love, but not without water’’, that no nation and no individual can survive without access to potable water for drinking.
Also, a paper presentation by Chief Chris Maduabuchi, who explained in detailed aims of groundwater-making the invisible visible, who talk about the subsurface phase of the hydrological cycle of groundwater and wells in 1975, and groundwater resources in Nigeria and major challenges in groundwater resources Management in Nigeria.
Additionally, Maduabuchi recommend that first, there should proper coordination and synergy on borehole drilling activities nationwide, including monitoring and evaluation in quantity and quality by all stakeholders is advocated.
Secondly, the implementation of the national water well drilling code to curtail and if possible eliminate the activities of quacks in the profession of Hydrogeology Borehole Drillers Association of Nigeria should also rise to the occasion and others as well.
However, the stakeholders who joined the federal ministry of water resources in commemoration of the “22nd march 2022 World Water Day” are: Action Against Hunger, Coca-Cola, UNESCO, WaterAid, Unicef, Bodan, APWEN, Engineering Nig LTD, and others.
