Water Resources Bill is Ruga through the back door – Akogun Adeniyi

OBINNA EZUGWU

Elder statesman, veteran columnist and former managing director of the Daily Times of Nigeria, Akogun Tola Adeniyi has said the Water Resources Bill reintroduced to the National Assembly by the federal government is Ruga settlement through the back door.

Tagged ‘Water Resources Bill 2020″ the bill seeks to cede control of all water bodies, both surface and underground water, to the federal government.
First introduced in the 8th senate but thrown out after it was widely rejected by Nigerians, the Bill was reintroduced few days ago, prompting renewed outrage.
Speaking to Business Hallmark about the Bill, Adeniyi said it was unacceptable and must be rejected, even as he said it is an attempt by the government to smuggle the rejected Ruga policy, which sought to create settlements for Fulani herdsmen across the country, through the back door.

“It (the Bill) is nauseating,” Adeniyi said. “If governors from the South and Middle Belt cannot talk, it is their funeral. If members of the National Assembly from the South, the Middle Belt and Northeast, cannot stop it, then it is their funeral. That’s all I can say.”
Adeniyi said there is a tiny section of the country trying to run roughshod because they are united, while wondering why others cannot also come together to save themselves.
“A tiny section of the country is riding them roughshod because they are united, but if they (other groups) want to sit back and watch it happen, they they should bear the blame.”

Asked if he suspects hidden agenda by the government, Adeniyi said the agenda is no longer hidden, but open for all to see.

“There is no longer any talk of hidden agenda, the agenda is not hidden. It is open, they want to take all the resources of the country for just a certain people to be able to graze their cattle. They want to say that every river in your village belongs to the federal government. There is no hidden agenda there, the agenda is open,” Adeniyi said.

“Buhari wants to submit every river in your village to his people, that’s all. And it’s not just hi people in Nigeria, it is those from all over Africa, since the same Fulani can enter Nigeria without visa and without passports. So, why should anybody be talking about hidden agenda? There is no hidden agenda, they are just bringing Ruga back through the back door, that’s it, there is nothing hidden about the agenda.

“But the issue is why should all those other people from the other parts of the country allow it to happen? Don’t they debate in their midst? Don’t they debate in the National Assembly? Are they there just to warm the seats? Don’t they have a voice? There are people from the Southeast, Southwest, South South, Middle Belt and so on in the cabinet of Buhari, don’t they have a voice? Can’t they talk? Is Ngige not in the cabinet? Is Fashola not in the cabinet? Is Aregbesola not in the cabinet? Why are they not talking? We should ask them why they are not taking,” he concluded.