The House of Representatives, in its session today, deliberated on a Bill sponsored by Hon. Engr. Anayo Onwuegbu FNSE, seeking to amend the River Basins Development Authorities Act. This amendment proposes the establishment of the Oji-Ebonyi River Basin Development Authority and the formal recognition of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority.
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During the debate, Hon. Onwuegbu emphasized the pressing need for equity in resource allocation among Nigeria’s geo-political zones. He noted that the South-East currently has only one River Basin Development Authority, which is insufficient to address the agriculture and water management needs of the region. The Bill seeks to create an additional authority to serve Enugu and Ebonyi states, with its headquarters in Enugu.
The Bill also aims to amend the jurisdiction of existing river basin authorities. The Anambra/Imo River Basin Development Authority would be renamed to include Abia State, reflecting its expanded coverage. Similarly, the jurisdiction of the Niger River Basin Development Authority would be confined to Niger State and the Federal Capital Territory, as Kwara State would fall under the proposed Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority.
Hon. Onwuegbu highlighted that the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority has been operational for years without legal backing, receiving budgetary allocations despite its lack of formal recognition. The Bill seeks to address this anomaly by granting it formal legal status with headquarters in Ilorin, overseeing Kwara and Kogi states.
Please find below the Order Paper for Today, Wednesday, November 27, 2024.
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