Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed deep concern over the indiscriminate drilling of boreholes, warning that the long-term consequences could be severe.
Obasanjo attributed the widespread borehole construction in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to the failure of successive administrations to maintain the Oyan Dam project, which his military government initiated in 1977.
Speaking during a visit by the management and staff of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA), led by Managing Director Adedeji Ashiru, Obasanjo stressed the importance of water resource management in achieving food security.
“We cannot de-emphasize the importance of water to human life. This was why, as Head of State in 1977, we created 11 river basins, including the Lake Chad Basin, to ensure strategic water management for food production,” he stated.
He lamented that the Oyan Dam, originally designed to supply water and generate power for Ogun and Lagos states, has failed to fulfill its purpose 48 years after its establishment. According to him, the dam has the capacity to generate 9 megawatts of electricity, which could significantly boost power supply if properly utilized.
“The dam was built to provide water for Abeokuta and Lagos, but instead, boreholes are being dug everywhere, causing a decline in the water table. The repercussions of this are uncertain, but they are inevitable,” he warned.
In response, OORBDA’s Managing Director, Adedeji Ashiru, commended Obasanjo for his foresight in establishing the river basins. He noted that while Obasanjo envisioned sustainable water management decades ago, the United Nations only formally recognized this necessity in its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) about ten years ago.
Ashiru revealed that the Federal Government has allocated N45 billion in the 2025 budget to boost irrigation farming and enhance the role of river basins in food security efforts. He also disclosed that seven new dams were constructed across the Southwest last year as part of the government’s commitment to water resource development.