The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, has commended the Ogun–Oshun River Basin Development Authority (O-ORBDA) for its sustained efforts to boost food security in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Minister gave the commendation on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of a two-day 2026 Management Retreat organised by the Ogun–Oshun RBDA.

He was represented at the event by the Director of Irrigation and Drainage at the Ministry, Engr. Mrs. Oyeronke Esther Oluniyi, who also oversees the Office of the Permanent Secretary.

Highlighting key achievements of the Authority, the Minister noted that O-ORBDA is targeting the construction of up to 300 greenhouses, with more than 70 already completed.

He also referenced the construction of over 2,000 boreholes aimed at improving water supply and sanitation across the South-West states under the Basin’s coverage, as well as the ongoing flood and erosion control project at Owakurudu in Ogun State.

While applauding these achievements, Prof. Utsev urged the Authority to pursue greater impact through more strategic and innovative initiatives. He charged the management to enhance its internally generated revenue, redevelop existing assets, and leverage the partial commercialisation of River Basin Development Authorities to attract private sector investment through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

The Minister emphasised the importance of teamwork, capacity building, strategic planning, and sustainability, expressing confidence that the retreat would yield actionable strategies capable of empowering more farmers, expanding agricultural land use, and ensuring affordable food sufficiency for Nigerians.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the O-ORBDA Board, Hon. Segun Odebunmi, described the retreat as an important platform for strengthening collaboration between management and staff.

He stressed that improving procurement processes within the Authority is critical to its overall success and alignment with the Ministry’s vision for the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector.

Earlier in his opening address, the Managing Director of O-ORBDA, Engr. (Dr.) Adedeji Ashiru, FNSE, said the retreat was designed to strengthen management synergy, enhance leadership capacity, and review the Authority’s 2026 Work Plan using SMART objectives.

He explained that the inclusion of intensive procurement training by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) was deliberate, noting that transparent, compliant, and efficient procurement is fundamental to effective project execution, accountability, and value delivery across Ogun, Osun, Oyo, and Lagos States.

Dr. Ashiru listed the expected outcomes of the retreat to include improved organisational performance, enhanced operational efficiency, expanded irrigation for food security, increased investment through PPPs, job creation, and strengthened water supply and sanitation services.

He urged participants to actively engage in the sessions and cascade knowledge gained to their respective departments to ensure lasting impact.

He also expressed appreciation to the Honourable Minister, the Board Chairman and members, and the Director-General of the BPP for their continued support, reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to institutional excellence, public trust, and the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda for sustainable water resources development.

Director, Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan, in a statement on Tuesday, said
The retreat was attended by Executive Directors of the River Basin, a representative of the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Engr. Isaiah Yesufu, resource persons from the Bureau, as well as Directors and Deputy Directors.