•Organizes conference to tackle menace
Following the current flooding ravaging various Nigerians especially areas along the Benue and Niger River, the founder Global Initiative for Nigeria Development and National coordinator of Courageous Nigerian livelihood Program (CoNiLip), Engr. Michael Ale has advised government on the way forward.
According to him, It is certain that many have lost their lives, while the water bodies both surface and underground which includes well have been compromised.
He said: “almost four million Nigerians livelihood dignity have been totally debased by this flood.
“More importantly, most of the WASH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene) facilities must have been affected by the effect of the flooding and people may not understand the implication of surface and groundwater pollution to their health and livelihood”, he said.
In a statement made available to Daily Sun on Wednesday and personally signed by him, Ale noted that Stakeholders and professionals have been arranged to handle several topics and find solution to the identified problem of WASH infrastructure and sustainability.
The statement reads: “Year in, year out, various governments at National and subnational level, international development partners alike have collectively invested billions of dollars in interventions over the past decades, resulting in tens of millions of unserved people gaining new access to improved water supply and sanitation infrastructure.
“However, it is also commonly acknowledged that a significant proportion of those who are “served,”
rather than “unserved,” also can experience major failings in access, sometimes within a few short years.
“This conference is set to address reason why this is happening, mitigate and find a lasting solution to meeting the SDG’s 6 of the UN Goals.
“The Organiser of this first National WASH Sustainability conference, Micheal Ale, Chief Sustainability Officer of Male Integrated Science (MIS) while reacting to Mr. Presidents letter to the Minister for Water Resources, opined that 90 days is too long to develop a flood prevention plan of action.
“Why 90 days? Three whole months? This is not so good for our country. Even plan of action to build Ukraine will not take 90 days of plan.
“Nigerian Professionals skillful in Water resources Management can deliver this assignment in just few days of rigorous exercise, well coordinated and inclusive stake holding.
“Although the President cannot declare any other state of emergency on flooding, because the other state of emergency declared on open defecation is still in force.
“So, the Nigerians should be well educated on this development, so as to lend their voice and join in development of water resources in Nigeria”, the statement reads.
