By: Osman A.M.
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The world water day is commemorated globally on the 22nd day of March every year and Somaliland was not left behind when it joined the international community in the spirit of comradeship by holding a colorful event themed ‘Water & Energy’ at a function held at the Civil Service Commission’s conference hall in Hargeisa, Somaliland on Saturday.
The function was graced by Cabinet Ministers from the ministry of Water Resource, Environment and Rural Development, Deputy Minister for National Planning, Director General in the Ministry of Water Resources and the Managing Director for Hargeisa water agency, senior officials from international organizations dealing with provisions of water services among other dignitaries.
Among the speakers at the function included the Minister for Water Resources Hon. Hussein Ahmed Abdulle whose ministry organized the event to be rolled on this 22nd March 2014 by simultaneously joining of the world in commemorating this important day.
The Water Minister reminded the attendees that the event is annually marked on this date and that this year’s theme was dubbed ‘water and energy’. He stressed the fact that the two vital resources are interrelated and interdependent on one another by sticking to the fact that if the population harvest and safe water then he noted that they can easily generate sufficient energy to meet their growing demand.
Hon. Hussein Ahmed Concurred that water shortages is experienced nationally but the little life commodity we get is not harvested in reservoirs to be used when there is scarcity of the commodity. The Minister inquired how many of the households within the city plans to construct water tanks for saving rain water when constructing their homes but alas! To the Minister’s anticipation very few residents of Hargeisa indeed do that.
The Minister noted that during rains sessions, rain water flows on the surface of the earth before ultimately finding their way to large water bodies like oceans. He opined that if rain water was harvested it could have saved population of people who experience no or inadequate water during dry spells.
The Water Minister challenged every citizen from rural to urban setup to harvest rain water in this rain session through directing it to water reservoirs at their homes so that scarcity of the commodity is not experienced come the dry spells.
The second message delivered in the Minister’s speech was that every citizen to sprinkle use the water they save by avoiding unnecessary wastage in order to narrow down the Ministry’s annual expenditure incurred through water provision to its population.
Lastly the Water Minister argued the event commemorators to make vital use of water and energy resources found within their borders by tapping them when the resources are plenty so as to save the Government from unwarranted expenses during its scarcity.
When the Environment and Rural Development Minister Hon. Shukri Haji Ismael Bandale took the podium, she clearly elaborated the permanent link and coloration between water and environment reminding the audience to shun deforestation while at the same time arguing them to employ sound and friendly environmental practices that reduces nature from abusing human population.
Hon. Shukri emphasized that if man abused nature through non conservation of environment then she reasoned that nature will definitely abuse human in the long run. She also challenged attendees to make use of the sources of renewable energy like wind, sunlight that are commonly found in the country.
The day was also commemorated in all regions of the nation.