The Federal Government has stated that it is committed to enhancing food security and economic development in the country, News About Nigeria reports.
The Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello Goronyo, disclosed this in a statement signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Funmi Imuetinyan, on Saturday.
He noted that to achieve this, the government has resolved to strengthen Water Users’ Associations in public irrigation schemes as it is a critical step towards achieving food security and economic growth.
The Minister, while speaking at the South-South Regional Workshop on the “Establishment and strengthening of WUAs in public irrigation schemes in Nigeria,” in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to this cause.
He emphasised the importance of participatory water management in sustaining the nation’s irrigation infrastructure.
He further highlighted the role irrigation plays in addressing food insecurity, boosting economic growth, reducing poverty, and empowering youth under President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
According to him, sustainable food production and national food security cannot be achieved without effective water management and active involvement of water users, which makes the establishment and strengthening of WUAs essential.
He stated, “The success of the World Bank-sponsored Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria project, particularly in WUA development, demonstrates the importance of a well-structured institutional framework for irrigation management. Public irrigation schemes under the TRIMING project have seen WUAs taking ownership of the schemes, protecting infrastructure, paying water service fees, and maintaining the systems for enhanced agricultural productivity.”
