By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City.
The Managing Director, Benin Owena River Basin Development Authority, (BORBDA)Engr. Saliu Ahmed, yesterday, said, the management is undertaking the rehabilitation of urban water supply schemes in Ewohimi and Auchi in Edo State and Efon in Ekiti State with the view of boosting water supply in those areas.
He said this at the 10th National Water Conference with the theme “Sustainable Water Resources Development and Management, an event organized by Water Resources Institute, Kaduna, in collaboration with Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority, Benin City.
Engr. Amhed said BORBDA has conducted comprehensive studies for the irrigation of farmlands around the Owena Multi-purpose Dam in Igbara-Oke, Ondo State and the Ogwashi-Uku dam in Delta State.
Amhed said in Ondo State, they have commenced implementation by deploying centre pivot irrigation systems to cover 100Ha from the dam reservoir.
He said their data gathering capacity has also been rejuvenated with a number of automatic weather stations and river gauging stations generating data daily which are collated and analysed by their hydrology unit.
While speaking on the Integrated Farms in Obayantor, Benin City, Auchi in Etsako West local government area; Okpe and Uneme-Nekhua both in Akoko-Edo local government area, said they have become their flagship in the bid to promoting food production.
He opined that these farms which have been in operation, serve as production, processing and training outlets in their waste culture of agricultural practice.
On his part, Edo State governor, Mr. Goodwin Obaseki, commended the MD, BORBDA, Amhed for his giant strides in the sector noting that his government would partner the federal government to meet the water needs of the people of the state.
The governor, represented by the commissioner of Water Resources, .Hon Moses Agbukor. said the government has already begun a feasibility study in four local government areas to attract investors.