The Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, has called on the Governors of Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta States to key into the food security agenda of the federal government.
This according to him is to enable quick deliverables in Food Security, PEWASH, SURWASH and Open Defecation in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations Unit, Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan on Friday, the Minister made the call while addressing the management and staff of the NDBDA at the Headquarters of the River Basin in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The Minister of State regretted the difficulties the NDBDA was facing in terms of the climatic change which led to flooding in the region especially in 2022, which led to devastation of infrastructure, farmlands and other important projects of the NDBDA in the Niger Delta region.
He hinted that the unfortunate incident adversely affected the development of the region. The minister commended the efforts of the NDBDA in establishing various Songhai Model Integrated Farms in the catchment area to boost food production.
Goronyo urged the NDBDA to properly harness these projects to bring succour to the various communities in their catchment area in order to add value to the lives of the people while also boosting the Internally Generated Revenue of the NDBDA.
In his welcome remarks, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara pledged to collaborate with the ministry and the NDBDA in implementing people oriented programmes in Rivers State.
The MD NDBDA, Engr. Mark Daso Derefaka, highlighted the comparative advantage of the NDBDA as a result of its abundant land and fresh water bodies for irrigation, water supply, recreation, sanitation, hydro-power supply and crops production.
According to Engr. Derefaka, the 8 N0S NDBDA’s Songhai Model Integrated Farms located in the different areas of the three states of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers are assets to the region but face the challenges of constant occurrence of flood due largely to their peculiar terrain.
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