Gov Okowa Signs Water Bill, Others Into Law

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

 Senator Doctor Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State governor, has signed water bill and other five bills into law on Thursday.

One of which is 'bill to provide for the Establishment of the Delta State Urban Water Corporation, Small Town Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, The State Water Sector Regulatory Commission'.

Other bills included’ the Warri/Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency Bill.

Other bills he also signed into law were "Bill to Regulate the Registration, Establishment, Operations, Conduct, Monitoring and Inspection of Private Health Care Facilities in Delta State and other matters incidental thereto; Bill to Amend Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency; Bill to provide for the Audit of Public Accounts of the state Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Local Governments and other Matters Connected therewith; and the Bill to Establish the Customary Courts and to provide for the Composition and Appointment of Chairman and Members, Structure and Administration, Jurisdiction and other Matters Connected thereto".

Today, Gov Okowa said, I signed 6 Bills that were transmitted for assent by the Delta State House of Assembly. These Bills, which cover various areas of governance, will help to strengthen our great state.

Okowa, after signing the six bills into law, noted that it was the  collective responsibility of all Deltans to contribute towards building a virile state that all would be proud of.

Delta State government had entered into a four-year deal with the United States Agency International Development (USAID) on Effective Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services (E-WASH) programme.

The General Manager, Delta State Urban Water Board (DSUWB), Chief Nosakare Okoh, while addressing newsmen noted the import of the recent development in the water and sanitation sector.

The new water regime in the state is a welcomed development as we are now partnering with USAID to properly improve on the 216 water schemes located in 10 zones in the state.

 A very positive way forward on how we will be engaging the consumers and doing business differently henceforth in the state, the general manager said.

The presence of USAID experts is encouraging as the programme is to reposition the board, knowing that it will become more viable and professionally managed in such a way that we can serve Deltans better, and also generate revenue for the state.

They will be helping us in terms of capacity building, institutionally reposition the emerging water corporate properly and keep us on track with the world best practices in water and sanitation sector, so that we can be at par with other developed world, Chief Nosakare Okoh declared.

Gov Okowa also commended the Delta State House of Assembly for being great partners in his administration’s efforts to develop the state, even as he explained the importance of the bills, praising the Delta State House of Assembly.

Earlier, the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, said the legislators had enjoyed cooperation of the executive which had led to passing of the bills for the development and advancement of Delta state.

He said the bills which were presented to the governor for assent passed through a rigorous legislative processes and assured Deltans that more laws will be passed by the House before the end of the first tenure.

SOURCE: ASABA POST NEWS WIRE (ONLINE)