Water Day: Nnimmo Bassey Asks Nigerians to Value Water

The Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, has called on Nigerians to treat water with respect because it is life.
Bassey, in a statement issued and signed by Ms. Kome Odhomor, the Communication Lead, HOMEF, made available on Tuesday, said access to potable water was a fundamental human right.
The there of this year’s event is “Valuing Water”.
According to the HOMEF director, the essence of the day is to remember that the world is in dire need of clean and safe water as many nations are already experiencing water stress.
Bassey said: “Some are forced to travel over long distances, just to get a few litres of potable water.
“While climate change can be blamed for drought and other water-related crisis facing the world today, water pollution from dumping of wastes and release of harmful chemicals from industries, including those in the petroleum sector into water bodies, also pollute and intensify shortages of potable water.”
He warned that the theme, “Valuing Water” must not be construed to mean that water can be “commodified“ or privatised but that the intrinsic value of this prime gift of nature must be respected and protected.
“Water is not a commodity for privatisation. It is important that our rivers, creeks, lagoons and ocean must not be seen as waste dumps for continual pollution and destruction of aquatic lives.
“Beyond our need to secure our potable water sources, our entire aquatic ecosystem must be secured to promote cultural practices, preservation of knowledge and enhancement of livelihood, especially for our fish folks.
“We must be mindful of the fact that plastics and toxic items dumped in our waters get eaten by fish and enter our food chain, thereby, endangering our health.
“This year’s theme “Valuing Water” charges all of us to wake up to the responsibility of protecting our waterways and to oppose all forms of privatisation of water.
“The intrinsic value of water cannot be overemphasised, because it is the basis for all existing life forms on earth,” he said.
The HOMEF director called for a realignment of our relationship to our water bodies, including the oceans, as zones of life and not zones for exploitative and polluting economic activities.
“Water is not a commodity that should be privatised, neither is it a commodity for anyone to lay ownership claim to,’ Bassey added.