Confirmation hearing for head of Delta State Water Sector Regulatory Commission to be held

Henry Idama will appear today before the lower house of Nigeria’s Delta State Assembly to be confirmed as the new Director General of the Delta State Water Sector Regulatory Commission.

Delta State sits on Nigeria’s southern coast and is home to many rivers including parts of the Niger River delta. Despite this wealth of water resources, access to clean drinking water is a major issue for many Nigerians, especially in Delta State. Pollution of the nation’s waterways has rendered much of Nigeria’s rivers unsafe for consumption and efforts to fix the issue have been largely unsuccessful.

Idama has a great deal of experience in studying and managing Delta State’s waterways and natural resources, having held the post of Director of the Delta State Ministry of Water Resources Development since 1992. Idama’s experience combined with the relative lack of politics associated with this appointment mean that Idama will likely be confirmed without issue by the assembly. Upon entering the role, expect Idama to focus his efforts on improving sanitation for the region’s waterways. As such, expect Idama to work with Delta State communities to increase local sanitation efforts and improve infrastructure, though the state’s oil industry will make a comprehensive cleanup difficult.