The minister of water resources and sanitation, Prof Joseph Terlumun Utsev, has said that the federal government will maximise the full potentials of the 12 River Basins in the country to fight poverty.
The minister gave this indication in Minna, Niger State, during a tour of the Upper River Basin Development Authority, where he also inaugurated agro tourism facilities.
He said there is need for more synergy with relevant stakeholders to accelerate the actualisation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s drive for food sufficiency.
He said his visit to the 12 River Basins in the country was aimed at accelerating the implementation of the plan to actualise President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda to take Nigeria out of hunger and poverty and to create more synergy with relevant stakeholders.
The minister who was conducted round some of the water facilities, including the Heavy Duty Equipment Stand Empowerment Centre and Songhai Integrated Farm
presented certificate of graduation to some trainees of the farm centre.
He also commissioned a dam road, agro-tourism facility, two concrete reservoirs of 780.7 cubic meter and that of 1197.250 liters of water.
The reservoirs are positioned to supply water to Rafin Yashi Irrigation Scheme and Rafin Yashi Dam, all of which were also commissioned by the minister.
Managing director of the Basin Authority, Professor Abdulkareem Ali, said the establishment of the facilities was driven by the need to boost the Authority’s revenue generation through agro-tourism.