IBADAN, Nigeria — Following an uptick in cholera outbreaks in the country, the federal government cracked down on Nigerian water borehole drillers this week, according to an article from the Nigerian Tribune.
Sarah Reng Ochekpe, the minister of water resources, announced an international workshop on Standardizing Borehole Drilling Activities in Nigeria this week, organized by the Association of Waterwell Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners (AWDROP), the article reported.
According to the article, Ochekpe charged the borehole drilling practitioners with initiating a monitoring program to strictly embrace standardized codes of practice to ensure safe, potable groundwater.
“For a borehole to serve its intended purpose, it is expected that drilling and construction activities are carried out according to established standards and code,” said Ochekpe in a statement. “Following strictly the code of practice for well water construction, borehole drilling activities will be standardized in Nigeria. The provision of potable water infrastructure in the form of standardized boreholes has great impact on communities, households and individuals.”
President of AWDROP Michael Ale also made a statement acknowledging the need for Nigeria’s government to make water management a priority and evaluate water risks, the article noted.
Read the full article here.