Minister tasks relevant stakeholders on SDG 7

Dr Mohammed Mamoud, the Minister of Environment has charged relevant stakeholders working on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 7) to ensure the goal is achieved as expected by 2030.

Mamoud gave the charge at the National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) 13th National Stakeholders’ Forum on Tuesday in Abuja.

The theme of this year’s forum is “Water Pollution: Innovative Solution for Environmental Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement’’.

According to him, the SDG7 is aimed at Clean Water and Sanitation and the goal is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the SDG7 is to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water, access to adequate equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation.

Improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reused globally among others.

He said that these were expected to be met by the year 2030 barely 10 years away, adding that the concerned relevant stakeholders have a lot to meet to free Nigerians from the ugly consequences of water pollution.

The minister said that Nigeria’s water body include surface water, marine water and groundwater were impacted and affected by various levels of in tolerated pollution which include industrial effluents, oil activities in the wetlands, ship dumping among others.

He said that NESREA being the enforcement arm of the ministry had been working assiduously to control the intractable environmental issue of water pollution.

Prof. Aliyu Jauro, the Director-General of NESREA said that forum was an annual event of the agency seeks to engage relevant stakeholders on specific environmental issues.

According to Jauro, water pollution is one of the major environmental issues confronting Nigeria; water borne diseases are recognized as reasons for many health challenges staring Nigerians in their faces.

He said that NESREA targeted at controlling effluents from the Manufacturer Association of Nigeria (MAN) sector of the economy.

He also said that the forum aimed at exploiting further avenues to bring solutions to the intractable problems of water pollution in the land.

Mr Iyiola Oladokun, the Chairman, Governing Council of NESREA said it had become imperative to be on rescue mission against the menace of water pollution, adding that everyone should team up with NESREA to protect the country’s water from pollution.