One year in: Ogun-Oshun River Basin Chief showcases flood relief, greenhouse expansion, energy revival
Engineer Dr Adedeji Ashiru marked his first anniversary as Managing Director of the Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority on 10 June 2025, following his appointment by President Bola Tinubu on 22 May 2024.
With his tenure aligning with renewed federal budgetary support, Dr Ashiru has directed the Authority’s focus firmly toward its core responsibilities of flood mitigation, irrigation development, water resource management, and hydropower revival.
A major milestone was recorded at Owakurudu in Ijebu Ode, a flood-prone community that had endured over two decades of deadly seasonal disasters. Backed by presidential approval, the Authority commenced a drainage intervention in May 2025.
Within three months, 300 metres of the planned 700-metre stormwater channel have been completed, restoring a sense of safety in a locality where 11 lives were previously lost to flash floods.
On the agricultural front, the Authority has expanded its investment in greenhouse technology to enhance year-round food production. 73 greenhouses were completed with some cultivated in 2024. By mid-2025, contracts had been awarded for a further 220 greenhouse structures.
These climate-controlled facilities are critical in ensuring consistent harvests throughout the dry season and support the federal government’s national response to the declared food-security emergency.
In the water supply sector, the agency awarded construction of 400 solar-powered boreholes 2024 across rural communities, with several completed and commissioned.
During a commemorative ceremony to mark his first year in office, Dr Ashiru commissioned several of these installations, describing access to safe and reliable groundwater as essential for domestic use and farming activities across the Authority’s seven-state catchment area.
Efforts to restore the energy potential of the Ikere Gorge and Oyan dams, both constructed in the early 1980s, have also gained traction. The Authority is now working with the Ogun state government to reinstate power generation capacity, tapping into surface water systems to provide clean, decentralised electricity to surrounding communities.
Dr Ashiru stated that every ongoing project remains well within the legal scope of the Authority’s mandate.
“Our work centres on water-resource management, groundwater and surface water access, irrigation systems, flood and erosion control, infrastructure, and hydropower generation.
Support from state governments has played a vital role in the Authority’s progress. Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, and Osun states have allocated land for rice and livestock demonstration farms, allowing the Authority to roll out site-specific programmes that align with local agricultural strategies.
These collaborations, Dr Ashiru added, reflect the Authority’s position as a key federal instrument for driving development across the Southwest.
Looking ahead, Dr Ashiru outlined his ambition to transform the Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority into Nigeria’s leading agency for impactful, results-oriented service with a key focus on food security.
With transparent project tracking systems, robust contractor selection procedures, and real-time supervision, he is working to ensure long-term solutions that protect communities, increase food output, and bring sustainable power to underserved areas.
