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From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
A Professor of Geography at the Federal University of Lokoja, Samuel Ibrahim, has called on the government to enforce stricter regulations on borehole drilling and sachet water production to avoid the outbreak of serious waterborne diseases in the country.
Prof Ibrahim, who gave this warning while delivering the 47th inaugural lecture at the Felele campus of the university, said minimum international standards are not being followed in the production of sachet and table water, nor in the drilling of boreholes, which can constitute serious health hazards.
In his lecture, entitled ‘Water Is Life. Is Our Water Living? Confronting The Water Quality Crisis In Nigeria’s Environment’, he called for routine water quality surveillance backed by accredited laboratories and the mandatory licensing of borehole drillers.
“Water is life only when the water itself is living. Our national task is not merely to provide water, but to keep our water safe and alive,” he said.
He stated that the government at all levels must move from policy statements to transformational action, establishing and funding routine water quality surveillance at federal, state and local levels.
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To avoid recurring outbreaks of waterborne diseases, he said: “We must regulate borehole drilling and packaged water. Invest in sewerage, faecal-sludge management, wastewater treatment and solid waste management.
“Protect flood plains, wetlands and recharge areas through enforceable land-use planning. Make water quality data public. And, most importantly, enforce the laws already on our books,” he added.
Prof Ibrahim also stressed that Nigeria must complete and harmonise its legal framework for water resources, ensuring clear mandates for water quality regulation at federal, state and local levels, and domesticating it through state water and environmental laws.
In his words: “We must enforce the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality across all supply types, public and private, including boreholes, packaged water and vended water. Borehole drilling must be regulated, drilling firms should be licensed, sites should be hydrogeologically assessed, minimum distances from latrines and soakaways enforced, construction standards observed and water tested before commissioning.
“Also, effluent discharge standards must be monitored and enforced, with the polluter-pays principle applied firmly and consistently,” adding that Environmental Impact Assessments and environmental auditing must be taken seriously for industrial, mining, agricultural and urban projects, with water quality baselines and follow-up monitoring.
He also called for strengthened regional and international cooperation through the Niger Basin Authority, the Lake Chad Basin Commission and partnerships with development agencies.
