A Warri based lawyer, Mr. Omemiroro Maxwell Ogedegbe Esq on Monday said the “Water Resources Bill” which is pending before the National Assembly is “Most Satanic”.
Ogedegbe added that “It is the most barbaric”, it is the most inconsistent and inconsequential bill which will exist in our legal history”.
The legal practitioner spoke during a peaceful protest organized by Civil Society Organizations, CSO’s in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
He said, “You cannot imagine a law that makes provision to the effect that for you to enjoy water, it must be subjected to approval by the Director-General of the Agency to be created to that effect.
“Which is to me, even our aged people in the village, for them to enjoy their river, must also be subjected to approval by a Director-General.
“To tell you that to sink a borehole in your own property, it will also be subjected to the approval of the Director-General of that Agency.
“As a lawyer, I have read through the bill. There are offending sections in that bill.
“You cannot imagine a law that makes the powers of a Director-General of an Agency to be blanket. The powers of the Director-General were not even specifically mentioned. A wife discretion was given to the Director-General of that Board which is to me, if he does not like your face, you will not be entitled to have water in your premises and even have the right to issue license and have the right to revoke all such licenses.
“Whether you like it or not, when that law comes to be, it will be an Act of legalizing the hardship, legalizing the austerity of our people.
“As we speak now, the inflation rate is already high and until the Government decides to address this issues, I can tell you, we are heading towards austerity.”
