Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has restated his administration’s commitment to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the state.
The Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Mr Umo Eno, stated this on Sunday in Uyo when members of National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), led by Mr Jacobs Tsado, visited him.
Eno said that the governor was very passionate about ensuring that SDGs were met in every area.
He added that the state government was currently reviewing the state’s water bill in order to have an acceptable water law and policy.
The commissioner noted that one of the main focus of the completion agenda championed by the governor was food security.
He said that the governor had set different machineries in motion to achieve the set objectives and ensure sustainability.
According to him, government is approaching agriculture from a different perspective to ensure food sufficiency and security.
“The constitution of the Technical Committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency and the Directorate of Agricultural Investments are strategic moves toward attaining the goals,’’ he said.
The commissioner reiterated the fundamental objective of the Emmanuel led-administration which, he said, was to ensure that 80 per cent of the foods being consumed in the state were produced internally.
He said that in the area of water and sanitation, the ministry was on track and currently collaborating with the Federal Government on the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme to end open defecation.
Earlier, Tsado said that the NIPSS members were currently undertaking an appraisal of some critical aspects of SDGs in some states of the federation, including Akwa Ibom.
According to Tsado, NIPSS is the apex policy, research and training institution in Nigeria which, among other engagements, undertook policy research into all areas of national life.
He said that NIPSS was a general purpose research institute, with the mandate to look into any and every issue that concerned Nigeria.
Tsado said that the study was ongoing in six states of the federation, representing the six geopolitical zones, with specific interest in goals two (food security) and six (water and sanitation) of the 17 SDGs.
He noted that food security and water and sanitation were the critical goals affecting people at the grassroots level. (NAN)
