Federal government has charged the management of the 12 Lower Benue River Basins Development Authority (RBDAs), across the country to ensure adequate synergy with state governments and their host communities to create an enabling environment for their activities to thrive.
The minister for water resources and sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev gave the directive at the end of his familiarisation tour of the RBDAs.
He said the tour explored the innovative ways and means of reviving the ailing irrigation schemes in the country.
Utsev said: “The River Basin Development Authorities are charged with the responsibility of harnessing and developing water resources infrastructure to improve water supply for multipurpose use and accelerate rapid agricultural and rural development in their various areas of operation.”
He sued for accountability and performance, saying: “we expect tangible results from our investments in irrigation and agriculture. Therefore, RBDAs must demonstrate increased land cultivation and agricultural productivity.
“Having gone round the River Basin Authorities in the country to assessed their capacities, capabilities, progress made and the challenges, I am inaugurating three new programmes for the ministry and the 12 RBDAs to undertake in order to give effect to the charge by President Bola Tinubu that RBDAs should put efforts into cultivating 500,000 hectares of irrigable land to curb hunger, reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth.
“Our administration is committed to innovative water resource management, fostering partnerships with states and communities for economic growth through irrigated agriculture. We must significantly increase the area of land under irrigation, thereby enhancing agricultural productivity per hectare and transit from traditional methods to a scientific approach, aiming for higher crop yields and more frequent cropping cycles.
“In order to actualise the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Declaration of Emergency on Food Security, my ministry shall pay greater attention to the expansion of irrigation development in the country, while reactivating the existing moribund schemes.”
