By Fatima Saka
Nigeria on Monday joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 2025 World Rivers Day, with the Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, urging Nigerians to take collective responsibility in protecting rivers from pollution and degradation.
Meanwhile, the World Rivers Day which is usually marked every 28th of September, with the theme of 2025 “Clean Rivers, Healthy Communities.”
Speaking at the event in Abuja, Utsev stressed that safeguarding rivers is fundamental to public health, food security, livelihoods, and environmental sustainability.
“Our rivers are not refuse dumps. Our rivers must not be polluted with sewage, effluents, or open defecation. Protecting our rivers is safeguarding ourselves, our health, and our economy,” he said.
While delivering his Keynote Minister, who represented by Mr. Richard Pheelangwah Permanent Secretary of the ministry noted that while the day is largely about advocacy, government has already rolled out significant interventions including:
Expansion of the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (PEWASH) to reach more rural communities.
Scale-up of the SURWASH programme to provide sustainable sanitation and reduce river pollution.
The “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign,” with 21 states and 151 local government areas now declared Open Defecation Free (ODF).
River Basin Development Authorities implementing community-based initiatives such as integrated river basin management, tree planting, and small-scale irrigation.
Utsev tied these interventions to the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, highlighting their role in achieving food security, job creation, and improved socio-economic wellbeing.
“Healthy rivers mean safe irrigation water, higher crop yields, cleaner environments, and improved public health outcomes,” he added.
Looking ahead, the Minister pledged that Nigeria will intensify efforts to achieve nationwide ODF status by 2030, adopt climate-smart sanitation systems, and strengthen collaboration with states, local governments, civil society, and communities on river protection.
He called on all stakeholders, government, civil society, private sector, and citizens, to act as “guardians of our rivers,” emphasizing that clean rivers are vital to achieving safe food, vibrant ecosystems, and resilient economies.
However, during the questions and answers with the pressmen, the Minister highlighted the costly nature of river dredging, calls for cleaner waterways, describing river dredging as a highly capital-intensive exercise, stressing the need for continuous government support to mitigate flooding and improve water resources management.
Speaking during a press briefing after the 2025 World Rivers Day commemoration, the minister explained that dredging is carried out periodically in different river basins to ease navigation and reduce the risk of flooding.
“Dredging is very capital-intensive. That is why, in most of the contracts awarded for dams, dredging is usually included as one of the key components,” the minister said, adding that Managing Directors of the various river basin authorities could attest to ongoing efforts in their catchment areas.
During his welcomed address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, represented by the Director of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, Mr. Moses Jo-Madugu, said the theme of this year’s celebration in Nigeria, “Clean Rivers, Healthy Communities,” underscores the vital role rivers play in sustaining life, livelihoods, and national development.
“Rivers are not just water bodies flowing through our landscapes, but essential assets that sustain life, provide livelihoods, and shape social and economic progress. Their protection is not a choice but a necessity, as degradation of water bodies directly threatens public health, food production, and environmental stability,” he said.
He explained that the commemoration was designed to raise awareness and mobilize communities to take action through riverbank clean-ups, road shows, tree planting, and other symbolic activities across the country.
According to him, these efforts, when sustained, can transform the way Nigerians relate to water and the environment, while fostering a culture of responsibility and collective ownership.
Mr. Pheelangwah commended the Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, FNSE, for his vision and commitment to repositioning the sector, describing his presence at the celebration as a demonstration of the government’s priority on river conservation and sustainable water management.
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He also recognized the contributions of the River Basin Development Authorities, development partners, civil society groups, and the media, noting that their continued collaboration is crucial to protecting water resources for present and future generations.
The Permanent Secretary urged all stakeholders and participants to use the day as a reminder of the strategic importance of rivers in promoting ecological balance, human dignity, and inter-generational equity.
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