Ogun Reiterates commitment to Ground Water Extraction Regulation.
The Ogun State Government says it is committed to regulating borehole drilling and commercial water usage in the State, calling for support from all stakeholders in the water sector.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Kunle Osota gave this assurance while receiving in his office, members of the Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners (AWDROP), Ogun State Chapter, on a courtesy visit, as part of activities to commemorate the 2019 World Water Day with the theme, “Leaving No One Behind”.
Osota said the theme was not solely to create awareness for availability of portable water to all by 2030, as enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs), but also to draw attention to sustainability of water resources.
He said his Ministry now has Water Regulations Unit, saddled with handling the regulation of groundwater extraction and related issues, especially for commercial use, as stipulated in Ogun State Water Supply (Ground Water Quality Regulations), 2017.
The Permanent Secretary appealed to members of AWDROP, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and other water service providers in the State, to obtain their licences from the Ministry, saying, this would advance government’s cause for judicious and sustainable use of common resource, especially groundwater.
In his address, the State Chairman, AWDROP, Engr. Wole Adekoya, said the association had put in place measures to regulate its members’ activities to ensure that their outputs are not inimical to the environment.
The Chairman, while appreciating the Ministry for its efforts at regulating water extraction for sustainability, said the visit was to foster partnership with the Ministry and contributing to environmental protection.
