•Says, no sustainable and equitable food security without water fairness
The Co-founder of Global Initiative for Nigeria Development, Engr. Michael Ale has advised the Federal Government on the declaration of state of emergency on food in the country.
The water expert in his reaction to recent state of emergency declared by the President of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu through his Special Adviser on Duties, Communication and Strategy, Mr. Dele Alake, Ale stated that there is no sustainable and equitable food security without water fairness.
According to Ale, the declaration of state of emergency on Food Security involved more than one Ministry and good coordination is a concern.
Mr Micheal Ale while thanking the President of the country, Bola Ahmed Tinubu for thinking in this direction, noted that it should no longer be business as usual in different ministries.
"Stakeholders invited and those not yet invited should be ready to play their role selflessly. State of emergency overrides other instructions and laid down principles, thus bypassing usual bureaucracy. But what can man do without water? The National Security council should invite the Water association for their contribution", Ale advised.
Ale, the National President of AWDROP further stressed that irrigation alone using surface water cannot handle most of our peasant farmers' needs and it’s not fair on farmers from other parts of the divide.
"Conjunctive use of both surface and groundwater is critical for sustainable food security and job creation. Engaging stakeholders in the water sector especially practitioners within the Master drillers group like AWDROP will safeguard the fund allotted for the project in food security", he said.
Ale, further noted that these stakeholders need not to be left behind to provide affordable water for irrigation and livelihood.