FG To Harness Positive Impact Of Flooding For Food Security

The Federal Government has pledged commitment to harnessing the positive impact of flooding for sustainable agricultural development and food security in Nigeria.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev made this known during a visit to the National Hydrological Service Agency, NIHSA, an agency under his ministry in Abuja.

According to Prof. Utsev, flooding has both positive and negative impacts, and the government is working to mitigate the negative impact of flooding on Nigeria as well as harnessing the positive impact on food security.

On his part, the minister of state water resources and sanitation, Bello Muhammad Goronyo explained that the importance of NIHSA in the development of the water and sanitation sector cannot be overemphasized.

He stressed that the ministry is poised to reposition the agency for the proper derivation of dàta.

“We are here because of the importance attached to this agency. It is a data-driven agency and nothing can be done without data both in the water and none water sector” he added.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Director General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, Clement Nze lamented the poor working conditions of the agency which he said mitigated against its efficiency.

He emphasized that lack of manpower, utility vehicles, and poor funding, among others are factors hindering the collection of sustainable data on water.

The Director General of NIHSA appealed to the minister to reposition the agency for greater efficiency.

Georgina Humphrey, Edited By Grace Namiji