Fed Govt Explores River Basin To Boost Agric

The resolve of the present administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to revive the agric sector has been re-emphasised with its avowed commitment to strengthen the nation’s river basin development authorities. Stating this while declaring open a three-day retreat organised in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources for all Directors in the Ministry, the minister of Water Resources, Mr. Suleiman Adamu, said that managing directors of river basin development authorities and heads of agencies under the ministry must brace up to their responsibilities to show commitment towards agric development. Adamu said that the Federal Government was set to examine the role and status of river basin development authorities with a view to improving their performances.

According to Mr Adamu,“I expect that this retreat will in particular, examine the role and status of the 12 river basin development authorities in meeting up with the demand of the new agricultural agenda. I dare say that much of our success during the life of this administration will depend on effective performance of the River Basins.Agriculture was one of the major focuses of this government,and currently, only 15 per cent of the 3.1 million hectares of irrigable land is equipped with facilities for all year round farming.Extensive and all year round irrigated agriculture is impressive, considering the drastic decline in the earnings from petroleum production, the need to develop other sources of national income as a means of generating jobs and wealth creation and the overall urgent need to restructure the economy"