In its bid to revitalise rural agriculture and boost the country’s food sufficiency dream, the Federal Government has approved the partial commercialisation of the 12 River Basin Development Authorities (RBDA) across the country.
Also, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s declaration on food security, government has resolved to revive, reactivate and expand moribund irrigation schemes in the country.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, who announced this during his maiden two-day familiarisation tour of the facilities at the headquarters of the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority (AIRBDA), Agbala-Owerri North, Imo State, said credible investors have been invited to invest in water sector.
He said: “Furthermore, in order to revitalise the RBDA, the Federal Government has approved the partial commercialisation of the 12 River Basin Development Authorities towards making them sustainable and commercially viable. To this end, we are calling on credible investors to invest more in the water sector.
“I therefore, charge the management and staff of the authority to ensure effective operation and maintenance of the existing schemes and infrastructure for sustainable use and service delivery to the populace.”
While commending the initiative of the Managing Director of the AIRBDA, Gerald Osuagwu, in putting in place and driving the policy of the Federal Government in the water and sanitation sector, Utsev informed that the areas to revitalise include the Songhai Integrated Model Farming geared towards producing more foods, training of youths in agribusiness, empowerment of graduates and youths for wealth creation, job opportunities and other viable ventures.
Utsev, who had flagged of planting of new palm seedling, disclosed the directive of President Tinubu, to put to use 500,000 hectares of irrigable land into cultivation.
The minister itemised the following areas his ministry would concentrate – implementing water management and irrigation projects; using water resources and sanitation to grow economy; ensuring equitable access to water and sanitation facilities, including paying attention to the underprivileged.
To actualise the programmes, he said the Federal Government would acquire more lands in conjunction with the states to develop, adding that the River Basins would add value in the initiative. He maintained that the extension services would focus on modern farming techniques.
Earlier in his speech, the Managing Director of the AIRBDA, Osuagwu, who said the authority’s management and staff were delighted by his presence, reiterated the resolve of the agency under his watch to deliver in line with the mandate given it.
