Says Ogbese dam in Ekiti set to boost food production, job creation, economic growth

As part of his fact-finding and inspection tour of federal water supply, dam, and irrigation projects in the South West, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph TerlumunUtsev, visited the Ilesha Water Supply Project in Ilesha, Osun State.

In a statement by the ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Funmi Imuetinyan, the minister’s visit aimed to assess the current status of the project and identify ways in which both the federal and Osun State governments can enhance water supply to 32 villages in the Ilesha area.
[ad]
Utsev, therefore, stressed the need for immediate action to improve the quality and quantity of water supplied.

He said that recommendations from the state’s consultant and critical insights into the design of the proposed reservoir and treatment plant would be reviewed, which include focusing on environmentally-friendly frameworks, cost-efficiency, and high water quality.

Besides, he said that stakeholders, including the state’s Commissioner for Water Resources, water resources engineers and experts, would be involved in finding the best solutions to the project’s challenges.

The minister noted that the project consultant reported a significant depletion in water quantity from the reservoir.

He, therefore, urged the state’s project consultant, LanreAbioye, to submit comprehensive recommendations and announced that a meeting would be scheduled to explore the most effective options for ensuring uninterrupted water supply to Ilesha communities.

Meanwhile, Abioye, who said that the initial capacity of the water supply had diminished due to illegal activities upstream, recommended desilting of the reservoir, construction of a five million cubic metres reservoir, and implementation of periodic maintenance to improve water distribution and reticulation to the communities.

RELATEDLY, the Water Resources minister has emphasised that the Ogbese multi-purpose dam in Ekiti State, once completed, will significantly boost food production, create jobs, and drive economic growth in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
[ad]
Imuetinyan, in another statement, yesterday, said that Utsev, during his inspection of the dam’s progress in Ogbese, highlighted that the project, considered as a top priority of the President, would provide four megawatts of electricity, support irrigation, enhance water supply, aid farmers, and foster fishery development for Ogbese, Ise, Orun, and surrounding communities.

The minister noted that the project is at 70 per cent completion stage and assured that hydropower components would be swiftly installed as the equipment is already on site.

He also announced that the Federal Government had approved funds for the components while all the turbines had been put in place and ready for installation.

According to the minister, the irrigation and water supply aspects will be addressed in the project’s second phase.

He, however, applauded the people of Ogbese and surrounding areas for their support to the project and encouraged them to engage in the partial commercialisation of the River Basin Development Authority to maximise its benefits.
[ad]