Why FG should regulate, standardise borehole drilling ― Experts

Regularisation and standardisation of borehole drilling and water supply activities will serve as a source of internally generated revenue for all tiers of government, experts under the auspices of Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners(AWDROP), have said.

They also stated that profiling all water well drilling rigs (borehole drilling rigs)operating in all states of the federation, will give a baseline insight of probable causes and effects of drilling activities in the country.

The resolution, among others, was contained in a communique, issued in Abuja and jointly signed by the Association’s National President, Michael Ale and National Secretary Yomi Adeyemi at the end of its fifth annual general meeting themed; Next Level in Underground Water Resources and Management in Nigeria.

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It also called for the establishment of a National Unified Task Force towards quality environmental impact management to achieve effective and efficient water supply strategies in Nigeria.

While condemning the collection of what it described as a non-statutory fee from the general public or drilling rig operators through harassment by the illegal task force, the Association called for an immediate stop to the activities.

It argued that the illegal task force was set up without recourse to the State Executive and Legislative arm was inappropriate adding that only the State water regulatory commission has the lawful power to collect such fees.

In the same vein, AWDROP urged the FG to prioritise locally fabricated Nigeria rigs in its agenda of water sustainability in Nigeria.

“There is a need for an upgrade in economic value chain leading to indigenously fabricated equipment and materials from the prospecting stage to completion stage in order to; Generate employment, alleviate poverty, advance technology and productivity, Enhance industrial revolution and implore competitiveness and growth,” the communique partly reads.

Similarly, it stressed the need for an immediate government financial intervention in the revitalisation of the moribund indigenous UPVC manufacturing company sectors, along the value chain of the water supply industry.