Senate Stands Up to Buhari over the National Water Resources Bill

Patrick OdeyJune 7, 2023

1 minute read

The National Water Resources Bill, 2023, which sought to centralize the control of water resources in Nigeria under the federal government, has been rejected by the Senate on Tuesday.

The bill, which was first introduced by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017, had sparked controversy and opposition from many stakeholders, especially governors and lawmakers from the southern region of the country.

The bill proposed to create several new bodies, such as the National Council on Water Resources, Nigeria Water Resources Regulatory Commission, River Basin Development Authorities, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, and the National Water Resources Institute.

According to the bill, these institutions would be responsible for “the regulation, equitable and sustainable development, management, use and conservation of Nigeria’s surface water and groundwater resources.”

However, critics of the bill argued that it would undermine the constitutional rights of states and local governments to manage their own water resources. They also feared that it would lead to conflicts and environmental degradation.

The bill had been passed by the House of Representatives in 2020 amid suspicions and protests from some members and the public.

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However, when the bill was brought to the Senate for concurrence, it met with stiff resistance from some senators who invoked Order 85 of the Senate Rules.

This rule states that senators must be fully informed about the contents of any bill before they can vote on it.

Senator Gabriel Suswan from Benue North-West raised a point of order that only the title of the bill had been provided to them, without any details or explanation.

He was supported by Senator James Manager from Delta South, who stressed the importance of knowing what the bill was all about.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, upheld their point of order and ruled that the bill should be stepped down until further notice.

This effectively put an end to the bill’s journey in the Senate and quashed any hopes of its becoming law.

The rejection of the bill by the Senate has been hailed by many Nigerians as a victory for democracy and federalism. It has also shown that the Senate can act independently and protect the interests of its constituents.