Stakeholders Warn Against Patronising Inexperienced Borehole Drillers

Some stakeholders on water management and regulation have called on the public to stop patronising unqualified and inexperienced borehole drillers to avoid consuming contaminated water.
This was part of a resolution at the end of a three-day stakeholders forum on water management and regulation, agonised by the Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development.
Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo-jaja, said statistics has shown that, consumption of contaminated water can also cause stunted growth and dull brain, insisting that, the State Government will regulate activities of borehole drillers to sanitised the water sector and ensure that consumers health was protected.
The State Water Resources and Rural Development Commissioner further stated that, every borehole engineer must be licensed by the government through the Ministry, to ensure professionalism in the water sector, added that, the registration of water business owners with the Ministry was not for taxation, contrary to speculations but to regulate the sector in line with international standards as applicable to other countries.
On his part, the Coordinator, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in charge of Rivers and Bayelsa States, Mr Samuel Ayuba, disclosed that, the agency had set up an assessment programme to scrutinise all imported products in the country,. urging Nigerians to check for quality mark and certified number before purchasing any product in the market.
Ayuba asked stakeholders in the water sector to partner the State government and SON to rid the sector of quacks and commended Dr Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja for putting together the training workshop.
Also speaking, Chairman, Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Water Resources, Hon Lolo Opuende, assured that, the lawmakers will try to make laws that would protect and promote a conducive business environment for people living and doing business in the state and appealed to borehole drillers to maintain the 30 meters distance when carrying out any drilling.