Minister of water resources and sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, has solicited the cooperation of the police to protect farms and facilities of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority (LNRBDA) across the country.

Mr Utsev sought cooperation in Ilorin on Saturday while inaugurating a water project constructed by the LNRBDA at the headquarters of the police command in Kwara.

He noted that the ministry must actualise food security, a major component of the “Renewed Hope’’ agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

“Our farms and facilities are scattered all over the country, and we need the cooperation of the police to safeguard them to boost food security.

“Food security is a key component of the `Renewed Hope’ agenda of President Tinubu. Without food security, we cannot drive the president’s economic policy,’’ the minister said.

The federal government empowered 50 youths who just completed training at the graduate youths’ empowerment scheme of the LNRBA at the occasion.

The programme is designed to train and empower youths to be self-reliant and to meet the nation’s need for food sufficiency.

The youths, male and female, from Kwara and Kogi were trained in poultry, fish farming, horticulture, and crop farming. They got cash and relevant input to start their farming businesses.

Presenting the empowerment materials at a food exhibition, the minister charged beneficiaries to put the knowledge they had acquired and the empowerment tools given to them to judicious use.

He also said that the ministry was working toward providing potable water for drinking, sanitation, and irrigation.

According to him, the provision of water for irrigation will provide tripartite benefits.

“The water for irrigation will be used in food production; it will generate revenue for the government and provide employment for youths,’’ he said.

Addressing the inauguration of the water scheme, Dr Adeniyi Aremu, Managing Director of LRNBDA, said it started in 2016 and had been consistent in training youths.

“This year, we empowered 50 graduates with irrigation items,’’ he said.

Mr Utsev earlier paid a courtesy visit to the chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF), Kwara’s Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

He urged Mr AbdulRazaq to prevail on other governors to work with the ministry to actualise the Renewed Hope agenda of the president.

Responding, the governor charged the ministry to conduct feasibility studies and collaborate with state governments to dredge the River Niger and River Benue to end perennial flooding and boost food security.

Mr AbdullRazaq lamented that many large agro-allied companies had halted operations because of damages caused by the flooding of the River Niger and River Benue.

He urged the ministry to also work with state governments to avoid duplication of projects in states.

(NAN)