The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsav, has identified substandard water supply equipment as the reason for inadequate supply of potable drinking water across the country, as well as problems associated with irrigation farming.
The minister announced that the Nigeria government will sanction companies producing substandard products used for water supply and irrigation.
He stated this while on a visit to a company in Kano that produces pipes and other fittings used in water supply, irrigation and consumption across the country.
Utsav warned that the government cannot condone those that are into the production of substandard equipment.
“We will sanction any company that will bring substandard products into the country,” he said.
As to the company he visited, the minister expressed satisfaction with the standard while asking them to sustain it and continue to promote local content in line with the Nigerian Content Policy.
“This is part of the mandate of the Renewed Agenda of President Bola Tinubu. We encourage water users to partner with them.
“We also call on those in the irrigation sector to partner with them as well. The duty of the Federal Government is to supply potable water to the people as the states and local governments should also do.
“We have to take these measures to secure the water supply schemes as many of the water schemes have failed due to substandard materials,” the minister stated.