Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority (O-ORBDA), Dr. Adedeji Ashiru, has cautioned against the pollution of rivers across the country.
He spoke at this year’s Annual World Rivers Day celebration at the agency’s headquarters in Abeokuta.
In his address delivered by the Executive Director (Planning & Design), (O-ORBDA), Azeez Adeoye, an engineer; Ashiru said the celebration was to showcase the natural, cultural and recreational values of rivers ‘’and streams in our communities with this year’s theme: ‘Protect our Rivers from pollution.’
He noted the word of Mark Angelo, the brain behind the World Rivers Day Celebration that ‘rivers are the arteries of our planet, they are lifelines in truest sense”, adding that rivers must be accorded their due respect.
He bemoaned the indiscriminate discharges of contaminants into the water bodies through human activities such as sewage discharges, industrial activities, agricultural activities, urban runoff, oil spill, discharge of metals, plastics, industrial waste products and others.
Ashiru warned of the consequences of river pollution, which he said had contributed to millions of death every year through the pollution of surface and underground water.
This, according to him, leads to the degradation of aquatic ecosystems with the spread of water-borne diseases when people use such water for drinking and some other useful purposes.
Ashiru hailed the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev and Minister of State, Bello Muhammed Goronyo, Esq, for upholding the celebration every year.
The guest speaker, Prof. Adewale Gbadebo from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta said there was need to strengthen environmental laws in existence, empower regulated agencies with resources needed to monitor and penalise offenders ‘’who pollute our rivers either by dumping of refuse in drains, river path or industrial affluent discharges.’’
Gbadebo advocated for community- based solution at all local government levels, while there must be a synergy between the federal, states and local arms of government in planting trees around river banks and maintaining them in order to reduce soil erosion, to maintain the quality of our rivers and to filter pollutants before they get to the rivers.
Earlier in the welcome address of the Executive Director (Planning and Design) (O-ORBDA), Azeez Adeoye (FNSE), read by the Deputy Director, Administration, O-ORBDA, Ms. Nike Fadipe, he said the celebration started in 2005 as an avenue to remind people about how important all “ our waterways around the globe are to us and the need to take care of them”.
Goodwill messages were delivered at the event by the Commissioner for Agriculture in Ogun State, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Kehinde Jokotoye and the Baale of Camp, Odeda, Chief Akanji Fatola to commemorate the day, which was attended by executive directors, directors and other workers of the agency.
A symbolic tree planting was held at the bank of Lekan Are Dam at the agency’s headquarters..
