The Federal Government has called on Nigerians to regard themselves as custodians of rivers, stressing that safeguarding the nation’s waterways is crucial to public health, food security, and economic growth.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, made the appeal in Abuja during the 2025 World Rivers Day celebration, themed “Clean Rivers, Healthy Communities.” He was represented at the event by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah.
Utsev urged citizens and stakeholders across government, civil society, the private sector, and the media to treat rivers with care. “Our rivers are not dumping grounds. They must not be polluted with sewage, industrial waste, or open defecation. Protecting our rivers is protecting our health and our economy,” he said.
Highlighting the government’s interventions, he mentioned programmes such as the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH), the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) initiative, and the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet campaign. According to him, 21 states and 151 local government areas have so far been declared open defecation free, with Jigawa maintaining its position as the first ODF state in Nigeria.
The minister also revealed that River Basin Development Authorities were carrying out tree planting, catchment protection, and small-scale irrigation projects to protect riverbanks and enhance food production. He stressed the importance of collaboration with states, local councils, and civil society to promote eco-friendly practices, including pollution control and river clean-up activities.
In his remarks, Pheelangwah, represented by the Director of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, Mr. Moses Jo-Madugu, said rivers must be managed with respect and care, noting that they sustain ecosystems, support livelihoods, and carry cultural significance. “Safeguarding them means securing human dignity, social wellbeing, and ecological balance,” he said.
He explained that activities such as tree planting, awareness campaigns, and riverbank clean-ups were being carried out nationwide to encourage community participation and collective responsibility.
The event also featured symbolic tree planting and a river cleaning exercise at Wupa River along Airport Road in Abuja.