Building Infrastructure for Hydrological/Water Crisis Management in Nigeria in the 21st Century: Imperatives for Policy Reforms
Presenter's country
Nigeria
Start Date
27-5-2016 2:35 PM
End Date
27-5-2016 3:40 PM
Location
Hall I
Submission type
Presentation
Abstract
The focus of the paper is on water resource crisis management and hydrological development and stability in Nigeria in the 21st Century. It posits that there is a high level of hydrological resource under-development and management particularly that arising from crude oil associated pollution. Thus it provides diagnosis of the causes of the crisis or instability and proposes reforms for proper water management in order to mitigate or even avoid future instability, as a model for proper water management in other sub-Saharan African nations, and other developing countries with similar circumstances or characteristics. It examines the hydrological imbalance and inadequacies, and the framework for water management in Nigeria. It also examines constitutive elements in Nigeria’s water crisis management and constraints that have inhibited efficient and effective hydrological resource management in Nigeria. Specifically, it addresses issues bothering on legal and regulatory framework, accountability and financing reporting; institutional structures reform; Rising policies and subsidy system, etc., as constraints to efficient and effective water resource development and management, and absorptive capacity. Conclusively, the paper is of the opinion that water resource crisis management in Nigeria, is far from being holistic, rather it is chaotic and requires urgent solutions with a view to addressing possible dire consequences in future. Consequently, the paper puts forward some recommendations or policy prescriptions. Certain questions arise however thus: how should we go about the suggested reforms? Should it be the British styled evolutionary reforms or the American styled revolutionary (constitution) reform? And should these reforms fail to yield the desired results, what then should be the way forward? Indeed, the debate is open; hence, in addressing the topic under 25 consideration, the paper is intentionally provocative, emphasizing thought and issues for further discussion and research.
Building Infrastructure for Hydrological/Water Crisis Management in Nigeria in the 21st Century: Imperatives for Policy Reforms
Hall I
The focus of the paper is on water resource crisis management and hydrological development and stability in Nigeria in the 21st Century. It posits that there is a high level of hydrological resource under-development and management particularly that arising from crude oil associated pollution. Thus it provides diagnosis of the causes of the crisis or instability and proposes reforms for proper water management in order to mitigate or even avoid future instability, as a model for proper water management in other sub-Saharan African nations, and other developing countries with similar circumstances or characteristics. It examines the hydrological imbalance and inadequacies, and the framework for water management in Nigeria. It also examines constitutive elements in Nigeria’s water crisis management and constraints that have inhibited efficient and effective hydrological resource management in Nigeria. Specifically, it addresses issues bothering on legal and regulatory framework, accountability and financing reporting; institutional structures reform; Rising policies and subsidy system, etc., as constraints to efficient and effective water resource development and management, and absorptive capacity. Conclusively, the paper is of the opinion that water resource crisis management in Nigeria, is far from being holistic, rather it is chaotic and requires urgent solutions with a view to addressing possible dire consequences in future. Consequently, the paper puts forward some recommendations or policy prescriptions. Certain questions arise however thus: how should we go about the suggested reforms? Should it be the British styled evolutionary reforms or the American styled revolutionary (constitution) reform? And should these reforms fail to yield the desired results, what then should be the way forward? Indeed, the debate is open; hence, in addressing the topic under 25 consideration, the paper is intentionally provocative, emphasizing thought and issues for further discussion and research.