FG grants water use licenses to BUA Cement, others

The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC), has granted Water Use Licences to BUA Cement and Penstock Energy Ltd.During the presentation ceremony in Abuja on Wednesday, NIWRMC Acting Executive Director, Hajiya Sakinatu Jimeta, urged the companies to use the licences as specified in the terms and conditions.Jimeta, who said that the licences would be revalidated every two years, noted that the commission would ensure supervision of the companies.Mr Uba Ajingi, Director of Allocation and Authorisation at NIWRMC, stated that the commission issued licences to ensure equitable water allocation for hydropower, irrigation schemes, and water supply.According to him, this is based on catchment availability to avoid conflicts and ensure sustainability.Rabiu Maska, Social Performance Specialist at BUA Cement, and Pamela Gold, Senior Manager of Legal and Regulatory at Penstock Energy Ltd, expressed gratitude to the commission for granting the licences a nd pledged to abide by the terms of the agreement.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NIWRMC was established in May 2007 following a Federal Government Public Reforms Committee.The commission's objective is to regulate, protect, conserve, and control water sources for equitable socio-economic development.NIWRMC has revalidated 50 licences for bulk water users under current regulations.The commission is saddled with the responsibility of monitoring the activities of the licensees to ensure compliance with licence terms.Source: News Agency of Nigeria