Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has welcomed an expanded partnership with the Ogun Osun River Basin Authority as the agency toured ongoing projects across Osun State.

Addressing the delegation led by its Managing Director, Dr Adedeji Ashiru at the Government House, Governor Adeleke directed a more robust partnership between the State and the agency in view of the massive programmes the authority is implementing across Osun.

The Governor while responding to the state of Iragbiji dam immediately directed relevant line ministries to work out measures to deploy the dam for irrigation purposes as proposed by the River Basin Authority.

He expressed surprise that the dam was unutilised since 2018 when it was handed over to the State Government.

Dr Ashiru had in his address listed several ongoing projects in Osun but specifically requested the Governor’s action on the Iragbiji dam which he said the Authority had completed and handed over to the State Government in 2018.

He told the Governor that the Iragbiji dam can be deployed for irrigation farming by the state government in line with the Federal and state agenda for food security.

While approving the request, the Governor further directed the Commissioner for Water Resources and Agriculture to visit the site for immediate assessment, lamenting such unjustifiable neglect of such vital state assets.

Addressing the delegation further, the Governor said: “Our government is desirous of strong partnership with your agency.

“As a government with a huge infra plan, collaboration with the River basin will enhance our push to secure food security.

“The vision for River basin authorities across the states recognises the importance of local partnership. Osun has had such collaboration in the past but we need to deepen the relationship”.

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