AFENIFERE, the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, has described the Water Resources Bill, as a dangerous bill seeking to “convert waterways to RUGA facilities for the Federal Government.”
According to a communiqué issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, immediately after an online meeting of its national caucus presided over by its leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, the billl could be an attempt to divide the country and should be dropped.
“The meeting also discussed the Water Resources Bill rejected by the 8th National Assembly which has been revived surreptitiously by the House of Representatives and concluded that a dangerous agenda is being pursued by the executive in wanting to subvert the Land Use Act in the constitution that vests lands in the state governors.
“The bill is so dangerous as it seeks to convert waterways to RUGA facilities for the Federal Government.
“The bill seeks to give 18km after river banks to the Federal Government when in a state like Lagos you hardly can go beyond a kilometre of any river before meeting residential buildings.
“We ask that the bill be dropped immediately except there is an agenda to divide the country being pursued frenetically.
“The meeting considered the recent increases in the prices of petroleum products and electricity as the most insensitive policies against a people being ravaged by a pandemic without adequate support from their government.
“To ask Nigerians to pay more for these facilities is wicked and inhumane.
“We call on the people to use all constitutional and peaceful means to resist and reject the hikes,” the communique read.