*Utsev: Appraising the Renewed Hope Change Catalyst*

By Adeniyi Adeleke

Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev, the Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, has brought a renewed sense of hope and transformation to the ministry. With his wealth of experience and expertise, Utsev is tackling the nation’s water challenges head-on, prioritising sustainable access to safe and sufficient water for all Nigerians. Under his visionary leadership, the Ministry is undergoing a significant transformation driven by innovative strategies and collaborative efforts.

Utsev’s mandate is clear: to develop and implement policies, projects, and programs that ensure sustainable access to safe and sufficient water for all Nigerians. This includes harnessing both surface and underground water resources to drive socio-economic development. To achieve this, Utsev will rely on innovative strategies and collaborative efforts, as seen in the River Basin Strategy for Poverty Alleviation (RB-SPA).

The RB-SPA plan has already yielded impressive results, promoting inclusive growth, improving market access, and driving grassroots mobilization in River Basin Areas. This approach aligns with President Ahmed Tinubu’s 8-Point Agenda and the Renewed Hope Mandate of the Ministry, which prioritizes food security and poverty eradication.

Utsev’s unwavering determination and commitment to transforming the twelve River Basins into viable purposes and result-oriented organs of his ministry has led to efficient service delivery, capacity building, and the implementation of various comprehensive reforms. One such ambitious and dynamic reform undertaken by Prof. Joseph is in the area of the Water for Expanded Irrigated Agricultural Programme (WEIRPRO). This innovative programme has enhanced the expansion of irrigation as well as boosted crop production with increased yields and support for livelihoods.

A pragmatic and altruistic leader, Utsev has also changed the narrative in the utilization of the River Basin systems. Through the Partnership for Expanded Irrigation Programme (PEIRPRO), the Ministry has made giant strides and peculiar inroads into the utilization of efficient technologies and cross-sectorial collaboration for sustainable national development.

All these programmes have not only changed the narratives but are clear paradigm shifts in water resources management, which targets the optimization of the utilization of the River Basins to benefit from their full potential.

Another pivotal hallmark achievement is in the area of the Clean Nigeria Campaign which seeks to eliminate open defecation across the nation. Working in collaboration with sister agencies, Utsev declared a state of emergency on open defecation. Today there is steady, consistent and positively laudable progress in achieving the 2025 target.

In a concerted and demonstrable effort towards ensuring that Nigeria becomes a prosperous country, and considering the positive impact of the sugar sector on the creation of jobs, and the national economy, with its added value in sugar sufficiency, Utsev, diligently collaborated with the National Sugar Development Council to ensure the provision of sustainable water to sugarcane farms and factories in the country, thereby giving assurance for a steady production of the commodity.

Today, the collaboration has achieved excellent rewards as major water dams and water reservoirs have been designated to ensure unhindered supply to sugarcane farms, thereby having the combined advantages of mitigating perennial flooding as well as enhancing the blue economy.

Conscious about the yearly menace and devastating effect of flooding, especially in Makurdi, Benue State, as a result of the proximity of settlers along the bank of the River Benue, and to mitigate it, Prof. Joseph initiated the construction of a Dam at Dura in Benue State, to control the overflow of water from River Katsina-Ala. Consequently, this year, contrary to various expectations and predictions, there has been a tremendous decline in the incidence of flooding in Benue State.

His visionary and pragmatic leadership has heralded outstanding breakthrough initiatives in addressing the complexities of the water challenges of the country. He has effectively addressed the debilitating problem of flooding across the country using his rich expertise and innovative initiatives which combine collaboration, foresight and foreknowledge.

His deliberate development of internationally sustainable water infrastructures and innovative technologies has heralded a system of sustainable access to clean water all year round in all parts of the country. His frequent embarks tours, visitation to project sites, interaction with stakeholders, and inspections and enforcement of projects’ timely delivery and within budget have eliminated the incidences of variations, wastages and delays in project completion accounting for the numerous projects commissioned within his tenure, as well as enhancing a system of hands-on approach which ensures transparency, accountability, and fosters a culture of excellence within the Ministry.

Professor Utsev within his short stay in office has commissioned several water projects. These projects include two hundred thousand litres corrugated surface steel water tank serviced borehole, powered by the hybrid solar inverter to supply water to seven hundred households in Dutsen Dodo Birnin-Kudu, Jigawa State, one hundred and thirty-five kilowatts capacity solar panels installed at Birnin-Kudu water works as replacement for the diesel-powered generators for both the intake and booster pumps that ensure sustainable operations of the treatment plant and distribution of safe drinking water. Also, a water bottling factory meant to provide potable water on a commercial basis for citizens of Kano in line with the partial commercialization arrangement of the Federal Government. This project has also provided jobs for youths with a projected annual turnover of over three hundred million naira.

Other projects commissioned by Professor Utsev include Kabba Bunnu, Lessel in Ushongo and Rafin Yashin Multipurpose Dam all these are to ensure the provision of water for the citizens and irrigation for farming.

His selfless dedication and exemplary service have led to a workforce that is determined to see to the success of the mandate of the ministry.

A highly educated and skilled professional, Prof. Utsev has demonstrated equanimity, resilience and the highest level of expertise in the discharge of his duties, thereby justifying the confidence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointment, as he achieves remarkable hallmark milestone within a very short period. He has effectively used his capacity, competence and capability to reposition the country’s water resources and sanitation sector to an enviable, result-oriented revenue generating institution. Surely, this is his turn to turn around the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation.

Adeleke wrote this piece from Bodija, Ibadan.