The Managing Director of the Niger Delta River Basin Development Authority (NDRBDA), Engr. Mark Daso Derefaka has urged Governor Sim Fubara to partner with the River Basin for improved water supply and distribution in Rivers State.
Engr. Derefaka who made the appeal in a press statement by his press secretary, said provision ofwater in the state would not only add value to the health of the citizens, but provide employments for the unemployed.
According to him, water is a fundamental resource, stressing that the role of his River Basin in ensuring its efficient management cannot be overemphasized.
Engr. Derefaka who has made concerted efforts to reposition the basin authority through infrastructural revolution, vowed to work tirelessly to improve water supply and sanitation as they are critical components of a healthy and prosperous nation.
“The access to clean water is a basic human need, and it is our duty to ensure that it is available to all citizens,” he said.
The MD who said provision of water is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu also made case for food security, urged the Authority of NDRBDA to collaborate and expand more irrigable lands to accelerate the actualization of Mr. President’s agenda to get Nigeria out of poverty.
The River Basin Authority was established in the early 60s as the Niger Delta Development Board (NDDB) to confront the plethora of developmental challenges of the Niger Delta Region. The RBDA has comparative advantage due to its abundant land and fresh water bodies for irrigation water supply, recreation, sanitation, hydro-power etc, and most importantly for production of crops, especially rice and other weeds.
In fact, in some local government areas in Bayelsa State such as Peremabiri, Isampou and Anyama-Ogbia where rice irrigation projects are located, have more than 600 hectares of swamp lands, which is the natural habitat of rice.
It is a known fact that in the value chains, rice production provides more employment opportunities than any other crops globally, which was why Engr. Derefaka lamented that the implementation of government policies without considering the consequences had created some issues which have become a hindrance to food production. Such issues he said, include the sales of agricultural assets in all River Basin Authorities. He said their own River Basin sold everything, including dredges, house boats, barges, feed mills, silos, rigs and others, stressing that even official quarters were sold, estimating that what was sold were worth millions of Naira.
“We are not against directives of Government, but such should be taken in consideration of its consequences,” he posited. He stressed that the River Basin under his watch is desirous of improving on what they inherited and put some measures in place to achieve greater successes for the region.
The Niger Delta River Basin Development Authority (NDRBDA) covers rivers, Bayelsa and 18 local government areas of Delta State.
