Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday raised concerns over the widespread drilling of boreholes in Nigerian homes and warned of devastating long-term consequences.
He attributed the increasing reliance on private water sources, particularly in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to the failure of successive governments to maintain the Oyan Dam project initiated during his military administration in 1977.
The ex-president, who spoke during a visit to his Presidential Hilltop home in Abeokuta by the management and staff of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority led by the Managing Director, Adedeji Ashiru, stressed the need for sustainable water management.
The visit, which took place over the weekend as part of activities marking World Water Day, provided a platform for the former president to highlight the dangers of indiscriminate borehole drilling.
Obasanjo lamented that the neglect of the Oyan Dam had left residents with no choice but to drill boreholes to access water. However, he cautioned that this practice could have unforeseen consequences.
“We cannot de-emphasize the importance or usefulness of water to human life, and this is why we say water has no enemy,” he stated.
He explained that his administration had recognized the strategic role of water in food production and security, which led to the establishment of 11 River Basin Authorities, including Lake Chad, to support irrigation and ensure year-round farming.
“If we only depend on rain-fed agriculture, we shall definitely not get it right,” he said. “Rain may come too early or too late, and we may experience droughts or floods, all of which affect food production and security. The first step in achieving food security is effective water management for agriculture.”
Obasanjo expressed disappointment that, 48 years after its construction, the Oyan Dam had not fulfilled its original purpose of providing water and power to residents of Ogun and Lagos states.
The dam, he noted, has the potential to generate 9 megawatts of electricity, which could help address Nigeria’s chronic power shortages. However, both its water supply and power generation components have been largely abandoned.
“Oyan Dam was built to supply water for Abeokuta and Lagos, but it has been neglected and ignored, just like the turbine for power supply,” he said.
“The water supply is not there for Abeokuta, and instead, we keep digging holes everywhere, causing the water table to drop further and further.
“This will have repercussions in the future. How long before the effects become severe, I don’t know, but geologists should study the situation and tell us how fast the repercussions will come.”