The Federal Government says it is committed to expanding irrigation development and reactivating the Moribund schemes in its bid to enhance food security in the country.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, said this during his familiarization visit to the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority facilities at Agbala, near Owerri, on Wednesday.
Utsev said his ministry was exploring innovative ways and means of reviving the Lower Anambra Irrigation Project (LAIP), which is the single largest rice irrigation project in the South-East.
He said that LAIP had huge potential for food security, wealth creation, poverty reduction, and job creation in the zone.
“In order to revitalize the River Basin Development Authorities, the Federal Government has approved the partial commercialization of the 12 River Basin Development Authorities towards making them sustainable and commercially viable,” he said.
The minister called on credible investors to invest more in the water sector, saying that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was determined to put 500,000 hectares of irrigable land into cultivation.
He also said that the ministry was implementing water management and irrigation projects to ensure stable and increased food production to feed the nation.
“The ministry is concentrating on utilizing water resources and sanitation infrastructure to grow the economy, create jobs, alleviate poverty, and improve the living standards of our people.
“It is also ensuring equitable access to water and sanitation facilities, with special attention to the underprivileged,” the minister said.
He further disclosed that the ministry would engage states and communities to ensure that land acquired would be developed by the River Basin Development Authorities for farming by communities.
The minister, who later inspected a water factory, integrated palm oil mill, and Agbala integrated farm project (Songhai model), also planted palm nuts and seedlings as part of the highlights of his visit.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority, Mr. Gerald Osuagwu, said the river basin was poised to assist the minister in achieving Tinubu’s goals on food security.
Also, the Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources/All River Basins Forum, Mr. Nwabueze Ibeneme, pledged the support of members of the union toward ensuring the actualization of the goals of the ministry.
However, Ibeneme called for more funding for river basins for project execution.
He also urged the minister to appoint executive directors from within the river basins to motivate staff members.
