Owerri, Nov. 23, 2023: The Federal Government says it is committed to expanding irrigation development, increase water supply and reactivating the moribund schemes in its bid to enhance food security in the country.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, said this during his familiarisation visit to the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority facilities at Agbala, near Owerri, on Wednesday.
Utsev said his ministry was exploring innovative ways and means of reviving the Lower Anambra Irrigation Project (LAIP), which is the single largest rice irrigation project in the South-East.
He saud that LAIP had huge potentials for food security, wealth creation, poverty reduction and job creation in the zone.
“In order to revitalise the River Basin Development Authorities, the Federal Government has approved the partial commercialisation of the 12 River Basin Development Authorities towards making them sustainable and commercially viable,” he said.
The minister called on credible investors to invest more in the water sector, saying that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was determined to put 500,000 hectares of irrigable land into cultivation.
He also said that the ministry was implementing water management and irrigation projects to ensure stable and increased food production to feed the nation.
“The ministry is concentrating on utilising water resources and sanitation infrastructure to grow the economy, create jobs, alleviate poverty and improve living standards of our people.
“It is also ensuring equitable access to water and sanitation facilities, with special attention to the underprivileged,” the minister said.
He further disclosed that the ministry would engage states and communities to ensure that land acquired would be developed by the River Basin Development Authorities for farming by communities.
The minister, who later inspected a water factory, integrated palm oil mill and Agbala integrated farm project (Songhai model), also planted palm nuts/seedlings as part of the highlights of his visit.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority, Mr Gerald Osuagwu, said the River Basin was poised to assist the minister in achieving Tinubu’s goals on food security.
Also, the Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources/All River Basins Forum, Mr Nwabueze Ibeneme, pledged the support of members of the union toward ensuring the actualisation of the goals of the ministry.
However, Ibeneme called for more funding for River Basins for project execution.
He also urged the minister to appoint Executive Directors from within the River Basins to motivate staff members.
Also in Gombe, the Minister of State Water Resources and Sanitation, Malam Bello Goronyo, says the government is committed to harnessing water resources potential to boost food production, eliminate hunger and create wealth.
The minister, who was in Gombe on a working visit, spoke during a courtesy call on Gov. Inuwa Yahaya on Wednesday.
He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu was determined to leverage on the abundant resources, including water to meet his eight point agenda.
According to him, food security is the number one priority of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and river basins have a lot of benefits derivable.
“Currently, Upper Benue is one of the grade A basins; if it is adequately utilised by the government to cultivate enough food, create wealth, generate employment.
“It also will reduce hunger and provide adequate security because hunger is the number element that pushes people to insecurity.”
Goronyo urged the governor to work towards benefitting with the commercialisation of the Upper River Basins.
“Gombe should key into it because there is a lot to benefit.
“Some of the portions of the river basins are lying without any activity; but if the state government or private individuals can come in through partnership, the land can be developed.
“Employment can be created; women can have what to do; all these are within the eight point agenda of the president,’’ he said.
In his response, Yahaya commended the foresight of the minister and promised that his administration would tap into the benefits of the Tinubu-led government.
He said his administration would do everything possible to further improve the living conditions of their people.
“The food security agenda is something we will align with,” he said.
