OGUN-OSHUN RBDA ORGANIZES WORKSHOP ON INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IWRM)
The Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority has organized a two-day workshop on Integrated Water Resources Management for stakeholders in water management in Ogun, Osun, Oyo and Lagos States covered by the operations of the Authority. The workshop was held at the Authority's Headquarters Alabata Road, Abeokuta on 23rd - 24th April 2024.
The Managing Director/CEO, Otunba Engr. Olufemi Odumosu FNIWE FNAHS while declaring the workshop open via phone said that Integrated Water Resources Management is the integrated and coordinated approach to the planning and management of water and other natural resources of the River Basin that encourages stakeholders to consider a wide array of social and environmental interconnections in the catchment or watershed context.
He said the mainstream Integrated Water Resources Management principles in the River Basins in Nigeria would grossly minimize related impacts and benefits for sustainable water resources management to guarantee water and food security, healthy ecosystems, socio-economic developments among others.
Odumosu said the workshop would provide a platform for practitioners to be sensitized on Integrated Water Resources
Management principles, the tools and strategies to effectively address such challenges as climate extremes, food insecurity, water scarcity, water quality and environmental degradation as well as water conflicts among others in the management of the River Basins.
He said the recent paradigm shift towards IWRM has been driven largely by global political processes, particularly those with broader development focus, such as the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs) which has now become a global phenomenon that sustainable water resources management can be undertaken in an integral manner such that the competing needs of the multiple stakeholders in the basin are rationalized towards achieving a balance between conflicting economic sufficiency, social equity and environmental sustainability.
The Managing Director stated that the scarcity of water and other natural resources has therefore given rise to the need for adequate management and has juxtaposes the topmost position of IWRM on the list of the agenda of the Hon. Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev FNSE FNCE FNIWE and also to the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
Odumosu informed the gathering that till date, the implementation of the IWRM in the Basin are still at the infant stages of raising awareness on its concept, building capacity and establishing institutions has brought about the organization of the workshop to sensitized practitioners in the River Basins within the catchment area of the Authority and related stakeholders in the water sector to collaborate develop an agreed set of policies and improve on the existing ones and strategies to achieve a balanced approach in the IWRM.
In his welcome address, the Executive Director, Planning and Design, Engr. Azeez Adeoye FNSE FNIWE said the Workshop was most needed at this critical time when it is essential to optimized the water resources by managing it in an integrated approach for sustainable economic growth and development among other reasons were cardinal in bringing all stakeholders and water resources managers within the Ogun-Oshun RBDA catchment together for a far-reaching upgrade of the technical process of the participants on Integrated Water Resources Management(IWRM).
Adeoye said that although blessed with abundant surface water and underground resources, the management of these resources has been facing daunting challenges such as water demand management in major urban centers, pollution control, solid waste management, efficient water use, business opportunities for new investments, planned urbanization and active participation of stakeholders for decision making.
He said that the overall objective of the workshop was to ginger water resources management practitioners and other strategic stakeholders in the water sector on mainstreaming IWRM principles at catchment levels of Ogun-Oshun RBDA.
In her remark at the event, the Ogun State Commissioner for Rural Development, Hon. Olufemi Ilori-Oduntan commended the organizer of the workshop for bringing together at this critical time stakeholders in the WRM to deliberate on a better and improve ways to manage the abundant but scarce resources to ensure the competing needs of the multiple stakeholders are rationalized towards achieving a balance between conflicting economic suffering, social equality and environmental sustainability.
She said the theme of the workshop has given the stakeholders an indication on how the Integrated Water Resources Management can impact positively on the economy with particular attention to securing the involvement of women and the poor in the society.
The Commissioner said in view of the huge demand for portable water, there are still gaps to fill which calls for collaborative efforts among stakeholders and partners to ensure a reasonably fair share of water resources in such a way that it would rationally goes round without compromising the needs of the future. Hon. Ilori-Oduntan used the medium to highlight the massive contribution of the Ogun State government under Prince Dapo Abiodun through her Ministry and the State Water Corporation in ensuring the sustainable supply of drinking water to both the rural and urban cities in the state.
In his keynote paper on the theme "Effective Water Resources Management: Panacea to Sustainable Growth and Developing Economy" Prof. Ipoola Okunlola of the Department of Chemical & Geological Sciences, AlHikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara State said the theme of the workshop was a manifestation of the legend musician who is the "son of the soil" Fela Anikulapo Kuti who released an album in the 70s titled "Omi olota" literally meaning "Water has no enemy".
He said virtually all activities of man on planet Earth are in one way or the other associated with water and it cannot be ignored as it has no alternative at all.
Prof. Okunlola said even though, goal number 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is " Clean Water and Sanitation" yet, over ten out of the seventeen United Nations SDGs are Water dependence, therefore, effective
management of water resources is an uncompromising issue under any economic situation, either developed or underdeveloped which brings about the lecture in discussing the importance of IWRM in a developing economy, the challenges faced and the potential solutions.
Papers were delivered by renowned academicians and professionals in the water sector such as;
Prof. Olusegun Ige of the Department of Geology & Minerals Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State (1. Harnessing Groundwater Potentials to Alleviate Water Stress and Water-Related Challenges, 2. Alleviating the Impact of Climate Change with Suitable Water Resources Management Techniques)
Prof. Ipoola Okunlola of the Department of Chemical & Geological Sciences (Understanding the Scope & Essence of Water Resources Bill Act & Best Practices in Water Resources Management)
Engr. Siyanbola Oluwadamilola of Petrax Consultants, Ibadan, Oyo State (1. Using Irrigation as a Veritable Tools to Mitigate Food Crises in a Challenging Economy, 2. Mainstreaming the Importance of Adequate Dam Maintenace for Effective Flood Control)
Goodwill messages were given by the representatives of the Ogun State Commissioner of Environment; Osun State Water Corporation; Ogun State Water Corporation; and the Osun Small Town Water Supply Agency.
