Interim mgt teams face funding constraints, perform skeletal activities | Workers seek FG’s intervention, lament impact on irrigation farmers | Insurgents stop 67,000 hectares of wheat, rice projects in Borno
Three months after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the reconstitution of the executive management of 12 River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, the 72 new helmsmen are yet to officially report at their duty posts.
The reconstitution of the management teams of the agencies was announced by the presidency on December 18, 2024 in a statement released by the special adviser to the president on information and strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.
LEADERSHIP Sunday investigation revealed that none of the new appointees have received their letters, expectedly from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of Federation (OSGF).
Some of the appointees confirmed to our correspondents that they were yet to receive their letters of engagement from the federal government.
When LEADERSHIP Sunday contacted the agencies’ supervisory ministry on the development, a senior official said only the minister could address the issues.
The official said the minister was not available to respond to the enquiries as he had gone on an official trip.
The river basins affected by the current leadership vacuum include the Chad Basin Development Authority, which covers areas surrounding the Lake Chad Basin; the Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority, responsible for areas drained by the Benue River and its tributaries from the international boundary to Pai and Donga River; the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, whose catchment areas are those within the confluence of Benue and Niger Rivers; the Cross River Basin Development Authority (whose catchment areas are places drained by the Cross River and its tributaries, and the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority (East of Niger River in areas drained by Rivers Imo and Anambra).
There are also the Niger River Basin Development Authority, which is mandated to handle areas drained by the Niger River starting in the North from the river’s confluence with Malendo River and down to Niger River’s confluence with Ubo River; Ogun Osun River Basin Development Authority; Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority; Niger Delta River Basin Development Authority; Sokoto-Rima River Basin Development Authority; Hadejia-Jama’re River Basin Development Authority, and Upper Niger River-Niger, Kaduna and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The RBDAs were established in different parts of the country in 1976 to provide a framework for agricultural development through the provision of water for irrigation (for all-year farming), fisheries projects, mechanised farming and livestock development.
They were also mandated to improve navigation and hydroelectric power generation and encourage the establishment of industrial complexes to enhance joint business partnerships between the private and public sectors in agriculture and its value chain.
When our correspondent visited the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Authority, a senior official who sought anonymity admitted that the delay in constituting its management board had affected its service delivery to dry-season farmers.
He said despite their broader national agricultural and food security goals, the leadership vacuum in the RBDAs was creating hiccups in implementing policies and programmes for the agricultural sector, particularly in the current dry season farming.
According to him, the delay in constituting the management boards had made the implementation of some programmes impossible as the interim management committees have limits in the scope of their operations and approval.
He said, “You know there are different services and interventions provided by River Basins, and such intervention must be timely. Any delay in providing them is tantamount to jeopardising farmers’ investment.”
When contacted, the public relations officer of Hadejia Jamare River Basin Authority headquarters in Kano, Comrade Salisu Baba Hamza, acknowledged the agency’s administrative vacuum but insisted that nothing had stopped its operations.
Hamza said under the public service system whenever there is gap due to transition, there are officers that take over before substantive appointments are made.
“So, this is what happened in our Authority: All the administrative activities have been taken over by appropriate persons for the interim period, and nothing has been stopped within the limits of the jurisdiction.
“For example, on February 28, the interim management paid a courtesy visit to the Jigawa State governor where critical issues were discussed. On March 8, 2025, we had the distribution of over 1,000 solar-powered water pump generating sets in Bichi local government area of Kano state.
“Yes, the interim management indeed has limits in its operations, but overall, I can authoritatively tell you that work is going on as designed pending the inauguration of the new board,” he said.
At the Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority, Minna, Niger State, it was learnt that a substantive managing director, Abdullahi Tajudeen Aliyu, assumed office last year.
However, it was gathered that he had been battling with funding challenges since he assumed office.
The sources further disclosed that most of their dams, especially in Niger State around Wushishi and Kaduna State had ceased to be providing water for irrigation farming.
In fact, some staff members told LEADERSHIP Sunday that for over two years, their operations had been low-key because there were not enough budgetary provisions and the release of funds even if there were provisions in the fiscal plans.
They, therefore, urged the federal government to leverage its renewed policy on agriculture by properly funding the river basin to boost cereal crop production in the areas of coverage, which are the FCT, Niger and Kaduna states.
Also, at the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority (LNRBDA), Ilorin, Kwara State, the absence of the new board is hampering the operations of the agency.
Findings in Ilorin showed that a caretaker committee is still running the all-important agricultural agency.
A member of the newly appointed NLRBDA board confirmed that he and other board members had yet to receive their letters of appointment.
“The truth is that we have not received our letters of appointment. Therefore, we have not been able to resume work at LRNDA, Ilorin,” he said.
Some staff members of the agency who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the absence of a substantive board is affecting the operations of the organisation.
According to them, the caretaker committee could not operate fully because it has limitations, unlike the board, which is vested with full authority to run the affairs of the basin.
They stressed the need for the concerned authorities to release the letters of appointment of the board members in order to bring life back to the agency, especially now that the rainy season approaches.
However, a senior management staff member insisted that LNRBDA “is very much functioning and performing its mandate as expected.”
He said the federal government’s funding of the agency usually follows due process, and that has not been violated in any way.
“The LNRBDA has been actively engaged in projects aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and sustainability in its area of jurisdiction.
“The authority has installed solar-powered irrigation pumps to promote cost-effective and sustainable dry-season farming. The provision of solar-powered irrigation pumps to over 200 trained farmers in areas such as Ilala, Oke-Oyi, Akerebiata, Egbejila, Giriyan, and Ejiba, has drastically reduced total reliance on petroleum products, thereby lowering production costs and enhancing water use efficiency.
“The authority is also currently carrying out infrastructural development projects across its area of coverage, which include road construction and rehabilitation, potable water supply, erosion control works, solar lights, and PEWASH projects.
“The caretaker committee is performing maximally within the ambit of the mandate given to it and the authority is forging ahead,” he said.
Insurgents Stop 67,000 Hectares Of Wheat, Rice Projects In Borno
Amid the controversy surrounding the delay in the appointment of River Basins governing boards, the activities of Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA) in Borno State have been hampered by the decade-long Boko Haram insurgency.
A credible source conversant with the activities of the basin prior to the Boko Haram insurgency revealed to our correspondent that there used to be three major project sites in Marte in Marte local government area; Baga in Kukawa local government and in Ngala in Ngala local government area of the state where rice and wheat irrigation farming was carried out on a large scale.
The source added that prior to the crisis, the wheat produced in Marte council by the Basin used to be a major contribution to wheat consumption in the country, adding that the area had remained a shadow of itself till date due to insurgency.
“The three major projects the Basin used to carry out are not accessible due to the Boko Haram insurgency. The projects were sited in Marte, Baga and Ngala. We were having projects of wheat irrigation during the dry season and rice farming during the rainy season.
“We used to cultivate 18 hectares in Baga, 27,000 hectares in Ngala and 22 hectares in Marte, making 67,000 hectares in the three major project sites,” the source said.
When asked about the state of the Chad Basin amid the delay in appointing a substantive board of directors, Mohammed Zanna, the acting managing director of the Basin, declined to comment.
He, however, asked the information officer of the Basin, Mohammed Bukar Alibe, to direct our correspondent to channel his request to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation for response.
At the ministry in Abuja, a senior official said only the minister could handle the issues raised and asked LEADERSHIP Sunday to check back next week when the minister would have returned from his official trip.
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