TheCable

The Association Of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners Practitioners (AWDROP) has asked the federal government to sensitise Nigerians on the content of the water resources bill. 

The bill seeking to regulate water resources has generated criticism, with many,  including Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate, kicking against it.

The proposed law was first introduced in the eighth national assembly but it was not passed at the time.

In July, the bill was reintroduced in the house of representatives and subsequently passed. The bill is currently awaiting concurrence by the senate.

In a statement on Friday, Michael Ale, national president of AWDROP, asked the federal government not to attempt to force the bill on citizens as it may cause war in future.

“The bill is a perfect bill meant to operate on the economy scale. It will stop the oppression of water resources as it is,” Ale said.

“Government lacks development communication strategy. They don’t know how to bring things to Nigerians. Even if there are sentiments, there are ways to convince and educate Nigerians not by forcing it.

“Our ministers cannot force the bill that we do not want on us and it is making it look suspicious because of the way it is being said, because of the urgency.

“Rather, they should allow this thing to go in a more articulated manner by educating the citizens on the content of the bill. I wish this thing doesn’t cause war because water causes war. We may be thinking it is a small matter but no.

“If it doesn’t result in war today, I can tell you that very soon, two neighbouring states will fight over water and that is where war will emanate from. This should not just generate into war among people.

“We should see how we don’t force the bill on people. We should know how things are done and the government should know how to carry the people along because it is the people they are leading.”

On Tuesday, Lai Mohammed, minister of information, said there is no going back on the water resources bill.