Nigeria To Host African Regional Conference On Irrigation

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev has inaugurated two additional task team members and the chairmen of the constituted committees in preparations to host the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) in Abuja.

The 6th African Regional Conference (ARC) of the ICID is holding from April 14 to 18 in Abuja.

Professor Utsev was represented by the minister of State, Rt Hon Muhammad Goronyo, at the ceremony which took place in the Conference Room of the Ministry, on Thursday.

The minister disclosed that Nigeria has been a member of ICID since 1970, adding that the National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (NINCID), secured the honour to host the 6th African Regional Conference by ICID, presenting an opportunity for Nigeria to showcase its commitment to advancing water and land management practices for agricultural development.

He emphasized the importance of the upcoming conference, highlighting that the African Regional Conference, spearheaded by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), serves as a platform to convene experts in irrigation and drainage from across the African sub-region. He added that the primary aim of the conference is to address contemporary and future challenges in these fields, fostering collaboration through ICID’s network and working groups.

According to him, the main goal of the conference is to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and information on irrigation and drainage among member nations for mutual benefit as well as to highlight advancements in technology and best practices from around the world.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi, acknowledged the experts assembled for the conference and urged them to strategise effectively to ensure the success of the main event.

In her address, the director of Irrigation and task-team chair, Engr (Mrs) Oyeronke Oluniyi, emphasized that Nigerian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (NINCID) was granted the hosting right during the 24th Congress of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) held in October, 2023 in Australia.

The co-chairman of the task team, Engr. I.K. Musa shed light on the hosting of the Conference, clarifying that it was initially hosted in Lagos, Nigeria in 1982 under the umbrella of the African-Asia Regional Conference before the African Regional Conference was formed, paving the way for more focused discussions and collaborations within the Continent.

The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engr Margaret Oguntala, applauded the commitment and level of professionalism of the newly inaugurated team, and pledged the Society’s commitment to collaborate to deliver the best conference.