The Nigerian Senate has decided to withdraw a motion that raised concerns about the exclusion of the Anambra/Imo River Basin from the N380 billion allocated for river basin projects in the 2025 budget.
This move came during a Senate session on Thursday, after the Senate Leader called for more discussion with the Ministry of Water Resources before proceeding.
The motion, initially brought forward by Senator Kenneth Eze from Ebonyi State, pointed out that the Anambra/Imo River Basin, which serves the entire South-East region, was left out of the irrigation development projects funded under the government’s Renewed Hope Infrastructure Plan.
This plan has a total budget of N3.2 trillion, with a portion set aside specifically for irrigation projects through River Basin Development Authorities to support agriculture, food security, and job creation.
Senator Eze argued that leaving out the Anambra/Imo Basin goes against the principle of fairness in the distribution of federal resources and could harm agricultural growth in the South-East, an area known for its fertile land and rich production of crops like yam, cassava, oil palm, and rice.
He warned that this exclusion could deepen feelings of neglect in the region and slow down efforts to strengthen the nation’s economy.
However, the Senate Leader pointed out that the issue had already been debated, and other regions have their own pressing concerns that senators want to raise.
He proposed that the Senate leadership engage directly with the Water Resources Minister to review the matter properly before any further action.
Following this suggestion, the Senate agreed to hold the motion and wait for more consultations and talks.
Several senators who initially supported the motion, including representatives from various parts of the country, accepted the decision to pause the motion for now.
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