Obasanjo Sounds the Red Alert: Borehole Drilling Could Trigger Unforeseen Environmental Havoc!”

The former president raised the alarm when he received the management and staff of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority, led by Managing Director Adedeji Ashiru, on the occasion of World Water Day. He stressed the urgent need to eliminate wasteful water practices and emphasized that achieving food security and sufficiency is impossible without effective water management.

Obasanjo noted that due to the abandonment of the Oyan Dam, residents of Abeokuta have resorted to drilling boreholes to meet their water needs, warning that this could have unknown and potentially disastrous consequences. He explained, “Water is vital to human life, and we cannot underestimate its importance. This is why, as Military Head of State in 1977, I recognized the need for strategic water management as part of our food security efforts and created 11 river basins, including Lake Chad.”

He further explained that relying solely on rain-fed agriculture is insufficient, as inconsistent rainfall, droughts, and floods negatively impact food production. “Effective water management for agriculture is the first step toward achieving food security,” he said.

Obasanjo also criticized the failure of the Oyan Dam to fulfill its original purpose of supplying power and water to Ogun and Lagos states. He lamented that, despite its potential to generate 9 megawatts of electricity, the dam has been neglected for 48 years, contributing to the ongoing power and water shortages in the region.

The former president warned that the continued reliance on boreholes instead of a functional water supply from the dam could deplete groundwater levels, causing long-term environmental consequences. “The water supply for Abeokuta is no longer reliable, and we have been digging boreholes everywhere, which is lowering the water table. The repercussions may not be immediate, but experts can predict how quickly this problem will escalate,” he said.