The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) have described the unrelenting lobby for passage of the Water Resources Bill by the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu as an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians who have unanimously rejected the Bill.

According to Director of Programmes, Philip Jakpor, “Media reports indicate that the Minister last Wednesday (October 28) met with the House of Representatives Committee on Water Resources to advance arguments why the Bill should be passed as it is and accused those criticizing the Bill across the country as misled.

“Aside AUPCTRE and CAPPA, the Bill was criticized by various pan-ethnic groups in the country including the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Afenifere, and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) which had on October 20, 2020 alleged lopsided applications of the mining regulations in the country. Nobel laureate and playwright, Professor Wole Soyinka, and Spokesman of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin are also vocal opponents of the Bill.

“The Bill was withdrawn on Tuesday September 29, 2020 after a heated debate in the House when some lawmakers alleged a breach of House Standing Rules while working towards passing the bill into law and relied on the anomaly to ask the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to throw it away or at best have it reworked and then represented for consideration.

“Subsequently, Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa said that the House would start the consideration of the Bill afresh.”

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/11/06/disregard-water-ministers-lobby-on-rested-water-bill-groups-tell-lawmakers/