By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

YENAGOA- President of Ijaw Professional Association (IPA) Homeland Chapter, Mr. Iniuro Wills has called on the representatives of coastal states at the National Assembly to resist the passage of the water resources bill.

Wills, a legal practitioner and former Commissioner for Information and environment under two different administration in an interview in Yenagoa noted with concern that the bill was not in the interest of the coastal states.

He urged federal lawmakers from the coastal communities to stand up and protect the rights of their constituencies.

Wills said: “That Water Resources Bill should not be considered at all by NASS, and the senators and representatives of coastal states and communities should take note and ensure they protect, not betray, the inalienable interests of their constituencies.

“Such a proposal as the bill represents should be tabled only at a sovereign constitutional conference, being fundamentally material if not fatal to the sense of belonging that coastal states and communities can feel in remaining part of the polity.”

Also, the factional President of the Ikea Youth Council (IYC) worldwide, Eric Omare, kicked against the bill.

He said: “The intendment of the Water Resources Bill 2018 before the National Assembly runs contrary to the nationwide call for devolution of power from the federal government to the states.

“It is unfortunate that while Nigerians are calling for more powers to be devolved to the states, the federal government is proposing a law to take more powers away from the states.

“This is anti the spirit of federalism to which the founding fathers of Nigeria subscribe to. The IYC join the southern Senators in opposing this bill and call on other Nigerians to reject this bill.

“The federal government already has too many issues to contend with at the expense of the rapid development of the nation hence it is not necessary to add overall management of water resources to its powers.”