Association urges govt., stakeholders to curb activities of Asian water drillers
Drillers
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, Aug. 9, 2018 (NAN) The Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners (AWDROP), has called on the government and other stakeholders to devise methods of reducing activities of Asian drillers in the country.
Mr Micheal Ale, National President, AWDROP, made the call in Abuja on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said that it was saddening to note that Asian drillers had taken over drilling activities in the country, saying this is promoting capital flight.
This, he said, had made Nigerian drillers to be relegated to the background, adding that the influx of the drillers was also constituting danger to ecological situation.
“We have our report that the current invasion of Asian drillers into Nigerian soil has brought untold hardship to indigenous operators.
“It is important for all stakeholders to put measures in place to address this challenge, if Nigeria wants to make the water sector viable,” he said.
He called on the government to give necessary priority to provision of water, saying that it was key to humans, energy service as well as economic survival of the nation.
Ale also appealed to the government to provide rural communities with safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.
He asserted that the gesture would go a long way in improving the standard of living of rural dwellers.
He blamed the lack of policies as the reason why the drillers were comfortable in the country.
Speaking on the effect of unprofessionalism in the borehole drilling field, Ale said the land had been polluted by uncontrolled and unpleasant drilling.
He added that uncovered boreholes had been the cause of deaths of unsuspecting members of the public.
The president urged government at all levels to patronise only professionals in the field to give the public adequate clean water with low cost and prevent the cholera epidemic.
Ale expressed disgust toward individuals and politicians, who patronised uncertified drillers instead of the registered professional borehole drillers association in Nigeria.
He added that legal action would be taken against people who violate the law guiding the drilling profession and called on every individual for their support on the issue.
The president also urged the government to assist members of the association by subsidising drilling equipment in order to reduce cost of borehole.
He also urged quick passage of the Water Resources Bill before the National Assembly. (NAN)
TAK/MOL/AFA
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Felix Ajide