An 18th century poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge was right when in 1798 in his lyrical ballad; “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, says water water everywhere, nor any drop to drink”.
Similarly, a 2016 UNEP report noted that the high demand for water will exceed its supply by 40 percent in 2030, as situation that may force many governments across the world to spend $200 billion per year on upstream supply, as demand out-strips cheaper forms of supply up from historic average of $40 to $45 billion.
The United Nations General Assembly in 1992 adopted resolution A/RCS/47/193 and declared March 22nd every year as World Water Day.
The first world water day was observed in March 1993.
Rivers State joined the rest of the world to observe the 2021 world water day on the 22nd of March.
The theme for this year’s celebration was “Valuing Water”.
The event was attended by top government functionaries in Rivers State including the Rivers State, Governor, Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, represented by the Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja, speaker Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Ikunyi Owaji Ibani, Rivers State Head of Service, Barrister Rufus Godwin, former governor of Rivers State, Chief Celestine OmehiaChief OCJ Okocha amongst others.
Governor Wike, who declared the event opened said the state government was committed towards giving the people of Rivers State clean and potable water.
According to an address read by the Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja the government has put in place structures that will take care of the need of Rivers people as far as the provision of water is concerned.
According to him, “the Rivers State water policy and water sector development law No. 7 of 2012, has introduced reforms in the water sector and ensured good water governance as a strong institutional framework that includes grassroot participation as stakeholder involvement to harness the natural resources and provide water for all in a sustainable manner.”
He listed some of the reforms as Port Harcourt Water Corporation (PHWC) to take care of water provision to Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas, Rivers State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation agency, the Rivers State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) and the Rivers State Water Services Regulatory Commission (RSWSRC).
The commissioner said with the establishment of these water governance structures, the administration of governor Wike has prioritised the provision of potable water to residents of the state.
“These efforts have seen the provision of water in several communities in the state.
“Today, most rural communities in Opobo/Nkoro and Akuku-Toru local government areas can access clean and safe water as water facilities installed have treatment plants.
He stressed the need for companies operating in the state to assist the state government with the provision of water treatment in their host communities.
In his discourse entitled: Valuing Water, the Role of Corporate Organisations in Water Sanitation And Hygiene (WASH).
The General Manager of Port Harcourt Water Corporation, Chief Ibibia Walter, described as dangerous to the environment, the situation where almost every household has a borehole drilled to produce water.
Walter said some of the boreholes were drilled in the worst possible hygienic conditions within aquifers that are either polluted with hydrocarbons organic or other carcinogenic elements.
He also put the number of people in Nigeria who do not have access to potable water at 47 million.
“Approximately, 47 million people in Nigeria do not have access to water and possibly double that number do not have access to good water and sanitation”, he said.
Professor Kingdom .S. Abam, who also made presentation at the celebration stressed the need for the creation of awareness on the values of water and their importance among policy makers, industry and community leaders as well as journalists, writers, scientists among others.
Abam also called for a regional or state-wide leadership coalition on valuing water to mobilise champions that lead by example as showcase in the application of the principles for valuing water in a range of different contexts and settings.
He further stressed the need for collaborative action of key parties such as national and local governments, industry and civil societies on valuing water.
Other speakers such as the former Governor of Rivers State, Chief Celestine Omehia, Chief OCJ Okocha, Rufus Godwins and others called for strong commitment by government at all levels to ensure accessibility to clean and potable water by the people.
According to revelations at the celebration, water occupies 71 percent of the earth surface.
With such a large volume of water, it is incredible that billions of people across the world are lacking access to clean and potable water.
Moreover, some diseases such as cholera, typhoid, diarrhea and others are attributable to dirty water consumption.
The United Nations places much emphasis on clean water, that is why it made it article 6 of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).
Indeed there is water everywhere but no water to drink.