Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Minister for Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, has said that
the federal government is committed to revitalising Cross River Basin Authorities in order to impact on farmers and guarantee food security.
Adamu, who made this known after embarking on a tour of the Basin Authority in Calabar on Wednesday, said the damage done to the authority is huge but government is committed to getting the authority back to normal.
He said:”The main purpose of the visit is to access the attack that was done to the Cross River Basin Development Authority head office here in Calabar.
“The revitalization of River Basin Authorities remains a priority of the government in order for them to impact farmers and guarantee food security.
“I came to see for myself the extent of damage, engage with the staff and encourage them not to despair.
“It’s certainly not a simple thing, not just an issue of vandalism, the whole structure of the River Basin has been affected. We are here to encourage them and give them the necessary support to that effect.
“One of the key focus areas of the ministry is to revitalise the River Basin Development Authorities to make them the focus of agriculture, food security and integrated rural development”, he said.
According to him, the commencement of the dry season farming is a sign that the Cross River Basin Development Authority is not relenting but forging ahead with it’s mandate.
Earlier in his remarks, the Managing Director of the CRBDA, Engr. Bassey Nkposong, said property worth billions were looted, vandalized, burnt and totally destroyed.
Nkposong said the authority is not deterred by this but is forging forward, adding that the dry season cropping in, which signals the beginning of, will engage 1,500 farming families, create jobs for 2,500 youths as well as skill acquisition for 100 young graduates.
As part of his visit to the state, the Minister paid a courtesy call on the Obong of Calabar where he sought his Majesty’s support, leadership and direction in handling the aftermath of the #endSARS protests.