In line with its objective of strengthening human capacity in water resources management, the Federal Government of Nigeria has advocated full implementation of National Water Resources Capacity Building Network (NWRCBNet) Operational Manual.

The Federal Ministry of Water Resources had in May signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna and six Universities from the six geo- political zone called "National Water Resources Capacity Building Network" (NWRCBN) to train interested officers in the water sector and University of Ilorin is one of the six Universities running the programme.

The Executive Director of the institute, Dr. Emmanuel Adanu, said in Ilorin, Kwara State, during an advocacy visit to the Vice- Chancellor and Management of University of Ilorin that the network had helped to bridge the human capacity and skill gaps in the water sector.

Represented by the Director of Research and Technical Services of the Institution, Dr. Dogara Bashir, said added that it had also served as a platform for sharing multi-disciplinary information, experience, skills, materials, tools and knowledge in building capacity in the sector.

While presenting the operational manual to the Vice- Chancellor, Dr. Dogara, commended the University for the commencement of the Professional Master's Degree programme on Integrated Water Resources Management.

He called on the University to continue with the programmes based on the operational manual as this would improve efficiency.

In his response, the Vice- Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali promised to work in compliance with the manual.

"We need to take into consideration the sustainability of the Network centre, because the important role water plays in the life of our people and the nation. While quite a number of people can do with shortage of electricity light, but the same people cannot do with shortage in water supply which is pivotal to human development," he explained.