The Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe, has called for collaboration between water and energy sectors to address the problem of power generation in the country.
Ochekpe, who made the call at the World Water Day in the FCT, Abuja, said: “No nation can survive without adequate supply of water and energy.’’
Represented by Dr Emmanuel Adanu, Director Dams and Reservoir Operations, Ochekpe stressed the need to ensure sustainable power supply in the country.
She said there was also an urgent need for agencies in the water and energy sectors that own and operate dams to collaborate in their reservoir operations.
“Demand for fresh water will continue to increase significantly over the coming decades. The need for increased collaboration and cooperation between the agencies and stakeholders in the water and energy sectors cannot be over emphasized,’’ Ochekpe said.
The minister said feasibility studies on 30 dams as recommended by the Ministry of Water had already been carried out adding that a total of 147.60 mega watts will be generated from these dams.
She said that in 2014, the UN system was working closely with its member states and relevant stakeholders to focus attention on the Water-Energy nexus to promote sustainable practices in both sectors.
The minister noted that water required energy and energy required water, pointing out that energy was needed at all stages of water extraction, treatment and distribution.
Also, in his address, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, represented by Abayomi Adebisi, Director Electrical Inspectorate Services, said water had been a good ally to power.
Nebo said that the generating plants that provide sustainable power derive energy form water like Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro dams, adding that the power sector was moving into a more privatised system where investors were encouraged to invest in the power sector.
He said that private investment would ensure availability of power in accordance with the vision 2020 of about 40 000 megawatts where Nigeria would be among the 20 strong nations in the world.
“The ministry has carried out feasibility study in about 30 dams of the country to harness the power potential in them so that we can have enough power for the nation.
“We will associate ourselves with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in its quest to ensure that water is made available to all Nigerians for sustainable development,” Nebo said.
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