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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has sounded a stern warning about the rampant drilling of water boreholes in residential areas, cautioning that the consequences could prove catastrophic. He expressed dismay that the relentless proliferation of boreholes, especially in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, stems from the inability of successive governments to maintain the Oyan Dam project, which his military regime established in 1977.
The alert came during a visit by the leadership and staff of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority, headed by Managing Director Dr. Adedeji Ashiru, as relayed in a statement by Obasanjo’s Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, on Sunday. The occasion coincided with World Water Day celebrations.
Obasanjo urged an end to the squandering of water resources, emphasizing that achieving food sufficiency and security hinges on robust water management practices.
He hinted that due to the failure of the Oyan Dam project, residents of Abeokuta had resorted to drilling boreholes everywhere to source water.
However, he warned that the development comes with repercussions, the extent of which remains uncertain.
“We cannot deemphasise the importance or usefulness of water to human life and that is why we do say water has no enemy.
“This was why as military head of state in 1977, I realised that strategic water management must be part of our food sufficiency drives and food security and we created 11 river basins, including Lake Chad,” he said.
Read also: ‘I Am Incurably Optimistic About Nigeria’ – Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo highlighted that all river basins, including the Oyan Dam, were equipped with irrigation systems to support year-round agriculture. He explained that the Oyan Dam was originally designed to provide both electricity and water to the residents of Ogun and Lagos states. However, he expressed disappointment that, 48 years after its establishment, the dam has failed to fulfill its intended purposes.
Obasanjo voiced regret over the dam’s dormant state, noting that its capacity to produce 9 megawatts of electricity remains untapped. He pointed out that, if operational, it could significantly enhance power availability for the populace and alleviate the nation’s persistent electricity shortages. “The Oyan Dam was constructed to deliver water to Abeokuta and Lagos, yet it has been overlooked and abandoned, along with the turbine meant for power generation,” he remarked.
