The Oyo State Governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi has called on the federal government
to urgently put in place necessary measures for the completion of all abandoned
water project in the State.
He made the call in Ibadan while receiving the Board
of Directors of Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority, led by its
Chairman, Colonel Ibrahim Hassan Biu, during a courtesy call on him in his
office.
Governor Ajimobi expressed his displeasure that four
major water projects had been abandoned by the Federal Government due to
non-provision of budgetary allocation for the completion of the projects.
According to the governor, some of the abandoned
projects included the Mddle Ogun irrigation project, Ikere Gorge Dam, Sepeteri
and Ofiki dams and Ogunpa water scheme.
Governor Ajimobi, who reiterated the commitment of
his administration toward the provision of potable water for the people of the
state, solicited the support of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority in this
regard.
The State Chief executive decried a situation
whereby only N20million out of N700million budgeted for the Oyo regional water
supply and only N1million out of N5 million for Igboho water supply were
released by the federal government which he described as grossly inadequate.
He stressed the need for improved partnership and management
with relevant ministries of the state government in the effort towards the
provision of water for the people of the state.
“The location of federal government bore holes in
the state are unknown to us. We don’t
know many of them. I suggest that we have move collaboration and we should
participate in whatever you are doing for us,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the authority, Colonel
Biu (rtd) lauded the infrastructural
development programme of Governor Ajimobi’s administration which he said had
given the state capital a remarkable facelift .
“The spate of infrastructural development is quite
impressive and we wish to commend Your Excellency for a job well done,” he said.
He added that the authority would focus attention on
how to impact more on the socio-economic well-being of the people and
communities in Oyo State.
The Chairman also assured the governor that the
authority would collaborate with the state government in ensuring improved
water supply to the people of the State.
He said the authority had already dedicated a pipe
for the Ikere gorge Dam with a storage capacity of 565 million Cubic metres of
water for Oyo State to connect for water supply to Iseyin, Okeho, Iganna and
environs.
