The Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, has commended the Ogun–Oshun River Basin Development Authority (O-ORBDA) for its sustained efforts at boosting food security in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Minister gave the commendation on Tuesday at the opening of a two-day 2026 Management Retreat organised by the Authority in Abuja. He was represented at the event by the Director of Irrigation and Drainage of the Ministry, Engr. Mrs. Oyeronke Esther Oluniyi, who is also overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary.
Prof. Utsev highlighted several ongoing and completed projects by the Ogun–Oshun RBDA, including the construction of up to 300 greenhouses over 70 of which have already been completed the drilling of more than 2,000 boreholes to improve water supply and sanitation across the South-West, as well as the flood and erosion control project at Owakurudu in Ogun State.
While applauding these achievements, the Minister charged the Authority to pursue greater impact through strategic initiatives. He urged management to enhance internally generated revenue, redevelop existing assets, and leverage the partial commercialisation of River Basin Development Authorities to attract private sector investment through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
He further stressed the importance of teamwork, capacity building, strategic planning, and sustainability, expressing confidence that the retreat would produce actionable strategies capable of empowering more farmers, expanding agricultural land use, and ensuring affordable food sufficiency for Nigerians.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the O-ORBDA Board, Hon. Segun Odebunmi, said the retreat provided a platform for effective collaboration between management and staff. He noted that improving procurement processes within the Authority is critical to achieving operational success and aligning with the Ministry’s vision for the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector.
In his opening address, the Managing Director of O-ORBDA, Engr. (Dr.) Adedeji Ashiru, FNSE, described the retreat as a strategic forum for strengthening management synergy, leadership capacity, and reviewing the 2026 Work Plan using SMART objectives. He explained that the inclusion of intensive procurement training by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) was deliberate, stressing that transparent and compliant procurement is essential for effective project delivery and accountability across Ogun, Osun, Oyo and Lagos States.
Dr. Ashiru outlined expected outcomes of the retreat to include improved organisational performance, enhanced operational efficiency, expanded irrigation coverage, increased investor participation through PPPs, job creation, and strengthened water supply and sanitation services. He urged participants to actively engage and cascade the knowledge gained to their respective departments.
He also expressed appreciation to the Honourable Minister, the Board Chairman and members, and the Director-General of the BPP for their continued support, reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to institutional excellence, public trust, and the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The retreat was attended by Executive Directors of the River Basin, a representative of the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Engr. Isaiah Yesufu, resource persons from the Bureau, as well as Directors and Deputy Directors of the Authority.
