The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw the National Water Resources Bill 2020 owing to its pro-privatization and other anti-people provisions.
The letter was issued on the ground of the analysis of the Bill done by both organizations which exposed the dangers it posed to the attainment of the Human Right to Water.
According to the letter which was signed by AUPCTRE National President, Comrade Benjamin Anthony, and CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, both organizations said the Bill had very disturbing provisions and would impose a privatization agenda on Nigerians with accompanying draconian provisions that were only possible in the military era.
They expressed worry that two years after the same Bill was discarded, it again found its way to the hallowed chambers in an unwholesome manner and without recourse to public opinion and protocols.
According to a statement made available to the media by CAPPA Director of Programmes, Philip Jakpor, the two organizations insisted that if the Bill scales through with its current intent and imperfections, it would result in dispossessing Nigerian citizens of their inherited and cultural rights to water and that it was against the spirit of July 28, 2010, United Nations General Assembly Resolution which recognized in explicit terms, the human right to water and sanitation and acknowledged that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the realisation of all human rights.
As a way forward, they requested that President Buhari use his good office to recall the contentious document from the legislative quarters and kickstart a fresh process that will entail consultation with Nigerians from the initial stages through the entire process at the National Assembly.