Ex-Benue Governor, Suswan Urges NASS To Throw Away Water Resources Bill

Former Governor of Benue State and now Senator,representing Benue North East Senatorial District, Senator Gabriel Suswam has urged the National Assembly to discard the controversial Water Resources Bill.

Suswam, who described the bill as anti-people, argued that it was capable of causing confusion in the country if passed into law.

Suswam, who spoke on Friday at Katsina-Ala town, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of the state, during the official commissioning and inspection of projects by Governor Samuel Ortom, assured his constituents that the bill would not see the light of the day.

“The National Assembly will reject the Water Resources Bill in totality and in whatever form it comes. It is anti people, it is unacceptable and we will not accept it because it is not in the interest of the people.

“You have no reason to be afraid. There is no bill like that and as far as I am concerned, it is still a rumour. So, let us not worry about what does not exist.”

Senator Suswam further vowed that “they cannot sit down as representatives of the people and accept that the federal government should come and take over the waters of our state.”

He argued that the Land Use Act of 1978 mainly states that all land belongs to the state government alone, stressing that to introduce such a bill will require an amendment of the Constitution.

“The Constitution has not been amended so the bill is dead on arrival”.

Senator Suswam urged the Benue people, particularly his Sankara brothers and sisters to remain resolute in support of the Governor Samuel Ortom-led government, saying they must not repeat the fundamental mistake they made in 2015 but that they should support him and the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in the state in 2023 and beyond. He called on the people to take the projects as their own and protect it for the future development of the state.

Earlier, Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom had inaugurated the re-modeled Central Primary School, Katsina-Ala, Mbaton-Amafu Electricity Project in Katsina Ala and the Zaki Biam-Afia- Gbeji road in Ukum Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, the projects were part of his promises while canvassing for support in 2015, pledging that more projects would soon be established in the area. He therefore urged the people to rally behind him for more dividends of democracy.