Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom on Saturday described as curious the reintroduction of the National Water Resources Bill, which was rejected in 2018 by the 8th Assembly.
Ortom, who stated this in a statement, signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, urged the National Assembly to reject the bill in the interest of the country.
He said: “The bill which seeks to bring all water sources (surface and underground) as well as river banks under the control of the Federal Government through its agencies is anti-federalism and negates the right of Nigerians to their God-given resources.”
The governor expressed the conviction that those pushing for the passage of the bill at all costs have a surreptitious motive which is not yet clear to other Nigerians.
According to Ortom, the bill is a disguised land-grabbing legislation designed to grant pastoralists unhindered access to river basins, adjacent marine and coastal environments across the country.