Dr, Utsev
Chijioke Iremeka
The newly appointed Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, and the Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, Honourable Bello Goronyo, should work hard to solve the water and sanitation crises in the country, stakeholders have said.
According to the 2022 report by the World Bank, approximately 70 million Nigerians had no access to basic drinking water services and 114 million were without basic sanitation facilities in 2021, and this a challenge that the Ministers must address.
The report titled, ‘Global Water Security & Sanitation Partnership’ showed that access to potable water declined from 36 per cent in 1990, to 11 per cent in 2021, and improving on this is another challenge facing the ministers, if they must make a difference.
“In 2021, approximately 70 million Nigerians had no access to basic drinking water services and 114 million were without basic sanitation facilities. Access to piped water declined from 36 per cent in 1990 to 11 per cent in 2021. An estimated 19 per cent of Nigerians practised open defecation in 2020, and faecal sludge is commonly released untreated into the environment.
“Urban water utilities largely fail to meet the needs of their already small customer base, forcing a majority to rely on expensive and often unsafe alternatives, such as private water vendors and shallow private wells.
“In 2016, water quality testing at a national scale revealed that over three-quarters of the population used contaminated water sources and that nearly half used sources that were at very high risk of faecal contamination,” the report partly read.
Speaking on this report and tasks ahead of the Ministers, a Water Engineer and the Managing Director of Potable Resources, Awka, Anambra State, Lawrence Mbanusi said water is essential to every activity of humans and animal, noting that improving water quality is key to healthy living.
He noted that access to safe, drinking water is a big challenge that must be surmounted, saying that Nigeria has had a number of Water Resources Ministers, yet potable water supply in the country has continued to be a mirage.
Mbanusi said the newly appointed ministers will have to do something different from what others have done to ensure that Nigeria does not end up allocating funds for a ministry with no solution to existing water challenges.
The professor of Public Health at the University of Ilorin, said, “Access to basic drinking water means getting water from an improved source that is accessible at home, available when needed, and free from faecal and chemical contamination.
“Poor access to safe drinking water leads to several diseases, mainly diarrhoea. The burden of these diseases is high in Nigeria. It is also responsible for a significant number of deaths.
“To improve the situation, everyone has a role to play. At the household level, people should make an effort to have access to water through various water sources and treat the water at home for safety.”
More so, the tasks which the ministers are going to be faced with are also reflected in the United Nations Children’s Fund’s report that poor access to improved water and sanitation in Nigeria remains a major contributing factor to high morbidity and mortality rates among under-five children.
UNICEF also said the use of contaminated drinking water and poor sanitary conditions result in increased vulnerability to water-borne diseases, including diarrhoea, which leads to the deaths of more than 70,000 children under-five annually.
It noted that 73 per cent of the diarrhoeal and enteric disease burden is associated with poor access to adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and is disproportionately borne by poorer children.
“Frequent episodes of WASH-related ill-health in children contribute to absenteeism in school and malnutrition. Only 26.5 per cent of the population uses improved drinking water sources and sanitation facilities. Also, 23.5 per cent of the population defecates in the open.
“Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 by 2030 requires extraordinary efforts. Based on World Bank estimates, Nigeria will be required to triple its budget or at least allocate 1.7 per cent of the current Gross Domestic Product to WASH. The ambition is highest for rural sanitation, where the gap for improved services is 64.1 per cent. Funding for the sub-sector is weak, and significant household contribution is needed to eliminate open defecation despite low family incomes,” UNICEF added.
Meet Prof. Joseph Utsev
Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev is known for his exceptional contributions as a civil and water engineer. He is also a renowned academic, politician, philanthropist, entrepreneur and administrator.
Born into the Utsev Akaa family of Mbaakura, Mbagen in the Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria, his academic journey is marked by outstanding achievements.
He obtained a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Civil Engineering from the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi and graduated as the best student in 2004 with a Second Class Honours, Upper Division.
His passion for knowledge led him to pursue higher education, earning both a Masters’s and PhD in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering from the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 2007 and 2011, respectively.
With approximately 17 years of experience in lecturing and the engineering field, Prof. Utsev has garnered a reputation as an accomplished administrator and highly respected professional within the West African sub-region.
He has contributed significantly to the advancement of Civil Engineering practice and research, publishing about 40 papers in national and international journals.
His career highlights include serving as the Deputy Director, and later as a full Director at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi from 2013 to 2017.
During this time, he spearheaded the establishment of seven workshops that enhanced students’ entrepreneurial skills and generated Internally Generated Revenue for the institution.
Prof. Utsev’s contributions to the development of water resources and environmental engineering earned him an appointment as the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Water Resources and Environment in Benue State in 2017.
His involvement in the design and construction of the Idye Basin Phase II drainage showcased his commitment to improving the state’s infrastructure.
In 2020, his expertise was acknowledged on a national level when the former President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), appointed him as the Executive Director of Engineering at the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority in Makurdi.
There, he played a key role in supervising the construction of various engineering projects, such as dams, bridges, roads, boreholes and drainages.
Just before his appointment, Prof. Utsev held the position of the pioneer Rector at the Federal Polytechnic Wannune, Benue State.
Part of his avowed role is to transform the institution into a world-class educational centre by resolving academic, vocational, and employment challenges.
Minister Bello Goronyo
Bello Muhammad was born in Sabon Garin Dole of Sokoto State. He started and completed his First School Leaving Examination at Kofar Marke Primary School, Sokoto State in 1981, from where he proceeded to the Government College Sokoto, for his Secondary certificate examination in 1986, after which he bagged a Diploma in Law from the College of Arts and Sciences, Sokoto in 1990.
Muhammad proceeded to have an LLB from Uthman Danfodio University, Sokoto, in 1997, and based on his age, he was said to have been exempted from the National Youths Service Corps with a certificate in 1998.
He later proceeded to the Nigeria Law School Bwari, Abuja and was called to Bar in 2001.
In 2019, he bagged Masters in Energy Security Management from the Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna and another Masters in Business Management and Leadership from London Graduate School, London UK.
He also got a Masters of Philosophy in Leadership and Strategic Studies from NDA in 2021 and is presently pursuing his Ph.D. in Leadership and Strategic Studies from the same NDA, Kaduna.
He worked as a Vital Registration Assistant with the National Population Commission from 1991-1992, Legal translator with the Sokoto State House of Assembly from 1992-1993, and Principal Orientation Officer with National Orientation Agency from 1993-2001.
He late took up a lecturing appointment with the State College of Legal and Islamic Studies, Sokoto from 2001-2006.
Goronyo practised with the Adamu Umar and Co law chambers from 2001-2006, and also with Rafi Law chambers, Sokoto from 2006-2007.
He was elected member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly to represent Goronyo Constituency from 2007- 2015, and later became the interim organising Secretary of the party in Sokoto State in 2014 and Goronyo local government campaign coordinator for the 2015 general elections.
He was the Secretary, APC legal committee election petitions of 2015.
In recognition of his political sagacity, Barrister Bello Muhammed Goronyo was appointed Commissioner, Ministry for Solid Minerals & Natural Resources Development, Sokoto State from 2015-2017.
He was deployed as Commissioner, Ministry of Energy Development, Sokoto State in 2017-2018 and then further deployed as Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Sokoto State, a position he held from 2018 to 2019, before voluntarily resigning after serving meritoriously in all the ministries he served as Commissioner.
He got elected as Zonal Secretary, APC North West in 2022, and was appointed into the APC campaign council as Director, National Youth mobilisation North West of the Presidential Campaign Council in 2023, a position he served with proven results.
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