Osun Group Petitions Governor Adeleke Over New Borehole Drilling Permit Policy

Reported by Amos Dachung – Sele Media Africa.

www.selemedia.org | August 31, 2025

The Coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens (CCNC), a civil society organization based in Osun State, has formally petitioned Governor Ademola Adeleke, urging a reversal of the recently implemented policy requiring individuals and companies to obtain permits and pay fees for drilling boreholes.

In a petition titled “Petition Against The New Policy on Drilling Permit for Boreholes in Osun State,” signed by the association’s General Secretary, Comrade Owolabi Hassan Tobest, and made available to newsmen, the CCNC expressed concerns over the new policy, describing it as unfair, extortionate, and burdensome.

The petition, dated August 28, 2025, and published in the Nigeria Tribune Newspaper, criticizes the policy introduced by the Osun State Commissioner for Water Resources and signed by the Executive Secretary of the Osun State Water Regulatory Commission.
The CCNC argues that the policy places an undue financial burden on citizens, particularly low-income households, who rely heavily on boreholes due to inadequate public water supply. They contend that access to clean water is a basic necessity and should not be subject to additional costs imposed by the government.

“Historically, the past government’s failure to provide adequate and accessible clean water to the public has led to individuals taking it upon themselves to drill boreholes to meet the public water needs,” the petition states. “It is unfair to expect individuals to pay for a permit to access a basic necessity like water when the government has failed to fulfill its responsibility.”

The group further appeals to the state government to provide adequate and accessible clean water to the public and ensure transparent and accountable revenue collection processes. They also urge the government to utilize internal revenue boards rather than private companies for revenue collection and to support practitioners in the industry by improving working systems and adding machinery to enhance productivity.