The Senate Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation, has called for increased funding to enable the Ministry complete its ongoing projects.
Acting Chairman of the Senate Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation, Senator Kenneth Eze, made the call when the Minister of water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev appear before the committee for the presentation of the 2025 budget Defense in Abuja.
A statement signed by the
Director Information and Public Relations in the Ministry, Mrs Funmi Imuetinyan says the Committee also emphasizes the urgent need to prioritize dam and irrigation projects, which are crucial to addressing the country’s flooding and water management challenges.
According to the statement, the Minister while emphasizing the Ministry’s commitment towards advancing water and sanitation projects, boosting agriculture, creating jobs, and mitigating floods and droughts.
The statement explains that the Ministry has so far utilized 24.19% of the available capital funds from the 2024 budget for ongoing initiatives, including dam construction, irrigation projects, and solar-powered water schemes.
It highlights notable achievements in 2024, including the completion of several dams as well as irrigation projects
According to him, the Ministry also made significant progress in sanitation, declaring 34 additional Local Government Areas (LGAs) open defecation-free, bringing the national total to 136 LGAs.
According to Prof. Utsev the Ministry and its Agencies have proposed a total budget of ₦211.79 billion for 2025.
The statement outlines priority areas, including the completion of ongoing dam and irrigation projects, the expansion of the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) program, and scaling up flood and drought mitigation.
It commends the Senate Committee for its support, expressing confidence in the Ministry’s ability to deliver on its mandate with sustained legislative backing.
