The Federal Government, has promised increased access to clean and safe water, especially for women and children.

The Head, Gender and Human Rights issues at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs Von Emeka-Ande gave the indication when she spoke with our correspondent in Abuja last Thursday, as the world commemorates Water Day.

Speaking on “Water and Food Security,’’ which is this year’s theme, Emeka-Ande said that government had increased advocacy and sensitisation on the importance of access to clean and safe water, especially in the rural areas, home to many women and children.

She said that food security was of importance because whenever there was famine, women and children were most affected.

She said that women and children were also directly engaged in domestic and industrial use of water and irrigation.

She stated that the Federal Government was in partnership with line ministries to ensure that abandoned dams were rehabilitated to enhance food security and to increase power supply.

“We build, but we don’t use, it’s the Power Ministry that should come in and take possession of it for irrigation and hydro-power uses.

“These days, we now have the Environment and the Women Affairs Ministry coming in for environment issues like disasters, flooding of the dams which affect women.

Emeka-Ande also spoke on the effect of water scarcity on food security; pointing out that food sustainability was dependent on continuous availability of water.

She added that water and food security were part of the transformation agenda of the Federal Government, and called on women and other stakeholders to ensure effective management of water.