THE Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, has pledged to transform the water delivery sector of the nation's economy in order to have positive impact in the development agenda of the present administration, particularly in the agricultural sector.Besides, the minister, who was at a three-day retreat for the staff of the ministry in Kaduna, said that all hands must be on deck to overhaul the water sector of the economy in other to achieve the goals and objectives of President Goodluck Jonathan's administration.Ochekpe said that the retreat exercise was significant 'as it comes on the heels of the presentation of the 2012 budget estimate/appropriation bill by the President to the National Assembly and before its passage by the legislative arm of government'.In attendance at the retreat were the Kaduna State Governor, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, two former Ministers of Water Resources, Mukhtari Shagari, Ambassador Bunu Sherrif and other top officials of the ministry, who brain stormed on how to promote better policies for the water sector.However, Ochekpe stated: 'As you are aware, ours is a critical sector that touches on everything that pertains to life and livelihoods. Therefore, the expectations of government and the governed is very high and we cannot afford to take our responsibility in terms of strengthening the policy framework on water, regulation of the water sector or provision of services casually or with a laissez faire attitude'.According to her, the transformation agenda of the present administration lays emphasis on two critical areas, while citing 'improved agricultural production through irrigation and improved generation of energy, especially renewable energy using hydro power with the attendant outcome of creation of economic development and eventual realisation of the vision 20:2020'.The Minister said 'in the course of this retreat, we must pose to ask ourselves some hard questions by way of assessing how we have fared in the performance of our responsibilities towards our mandate'.Ochekpe argued that 'societal perception of the Ministry of Water Resources generally presupposes an organisation that has inculcated the wrong values over the years', stressing that 'where officials focus only on what is in the system for them and not what they would give'' was offensive to development aspiration.She added: 'although some of these perceptions may be wrong, it desirous on all of us to reassess ourselves with a view to making adjustments where necessary, and resolving to do much better than we are doing presently' the time for Nigeria real transformation has come and we must know that we have a critical role to play and must play that role well'.Among those expected as Guest speakers at the occasion included Dr. Mansur Mukhtar, Dr. Tonnie Iredia, Professor Bashir and others from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the national Planning Commission and the Civil Society community.
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