The Chairman, Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), Lagos Mainland Chapter, Dr Eugene Itua, on Wednesday urged the Federal and State Governments to address the water challenges in the country.
Itua gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
According to him, the major water challenges were in the provision of necessary infrastructure for adequate water supply to residential and commercial areas.
“Water infrastructure has been the bane of the sector as a result millions of people in urban and rural areas are without quality water.
“Water is a shared resource that knows no borders. It is essential for life and for economic, social and human development.
“All human activities as well as the environment depend on the availability of a sufficient quantity of water of an adequate quality,’’ he said.
Itua regretted that millions of people were still without access to improved sources of safe drinking water while billions did not have improved sanitation facilities.
He said that the situation would be worsening by growing population, rapid urbanisation, changing consumption patterns and climate change.
According to him, all these will further lead to increased competition for water at all levels.
Itua said that taking the right actions to address the water challenges of today would provide decent jobs for the people who would be working on the water infrastructure.
He said it would also ensure that more people have access to sources of safe drinking water as well as reduce deaths due to water borne diseases. (NAN)
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