*Engr. Suleiman Adamu, Minister for Water Resources, expresses the need to integrate all sectors for positive impact, socio-economic development and management of resources

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Nigerian Government has advocated the need for cooperation among the water, energy and food security sectors in the economy, to address the challenges hindering socio-economic development in the country.

Engr. Suleiman Adamu, Honourable Minister for Water Resources, made the recommendation Tuesday, August 2, 2022,  at the opening of a three-day Inter-Sectoral Policy National Dialogue on “the Nexus of Water -Energy-Food Security” in Abuja, FCT.

The Niger Basin Authority (NBA) and German International Cooperation (GiZ) organised the forum, agency report said.

Engr. Adamu also noted that mismanagement of a sector could affect the viability of other sectors and compromise the livelihoods of the people and the ecosystem.

The Minister, represented by Mr. Emmanuel Awe, Director of Water Quality and Sanitation, as well stressed the nexus approach reflected the interlink between Water, Energy, Food Security and Environment.

Adamu expressed the need to integrate all sectors towards promoting positive impact, socio-economic development and management of resources.

Adamu said increasing activities due to urbanisation, agriculture and industrialisation, had resulted in the pollution of fresh water with serious adverse effects on health and wellbeing.

While expressing the Federal Government’s gratitude to the NBA and experts, he urged all participants to show more commitment for effective and efficient implementation of all NBA projects and programmes in the country.

Regional Coordinator, Nexus GIZ and EU, Robert Kronefield and NBA representative, Bamidele Olatunji, said the workshop would strengthen stakeholders’ capacity in planning, policy development and implementation of the NEXUS approach.

The first phase of the NBA and German Cooperation (NBA-GIZ) NEXUS Project (2016-2020) placed strong emphasis on regional integration of the NEXUS approach and capacity building, report said.

The NEXUS project takes an integrated view of the water, energy and agriculture sectors, as these are all competing for the same scarce resources.

It allows an optimal balance of interests in the use of resources, manage conflicts and human rights risks appropriately, and respect the limits of the planet’s ecological resilience.