As part of efforts towards proper harnessing of both surface and groundwater, the federal government through the Ministry of Water Resources has over the years constructed 260 Dams across the country and impounded 34 billion centimetres of bulk water in dam reservoirs for multi-purpose use, including water supply, sanitation, irrigation and power generation.
It also constructed 6,761 water schemes with an output of 794,334,000 litres per day to supply water for about 32 million people across the urban, semi-urban and rural areas in the country.
The minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu disclosed this while addressing participants at the 29th meeting of the National Council on Water Resources (NCWR) in Kasarawa, Sokoto State with the theme: “Actualising Sustainable Development Goal 6: Prospects and Challenges.”
Adamu said the project was part of the laudable achievements/ programmes by the ministry to increase access to safe and sufficient water in order to meet the sanitation, cultural, social, environmental as well as economic development needs of the nation in an integrated manner.
He pointed out that the ministry is currently undertaking some flagship projects and programmes on partnership for expanded water supply, sanitation and hygiene (PEWASH) and the world bank assisted sustainable urban rural water sanitation and hygiene (SURWASH).
He said the objectives of the programme were to contribute to the improvement in public health and eradication of poverty in Nigeria with a view to achieving SDG Targets 6.1 and 6.2 in the rural areas, and also to improve urban, small towns and rural water supply as well as strengthen sector institutions in the participating States.
The commissioner of Sokoto State Ministry of Water Resources, Hon Dahiru Yusuf Yabo said that the theme of the meeting was apt, which he noted is in line with the state government’s policies and programmes on the provision of sustainable, affordable and potable water to the people of the state.