By Oluwatoyin Adegoke
Residents, traditional rulers and experts in Ogun State have joined voices to demand cleaner rivers, stressing the importance of water quality to community health.
Speaking at the 2025 World Rivers Day celebration at the Abeokuta, Headquarters of Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority, the participants emphasized that, clean rivers would ensure healthier families, stronger livelihoods and boost national growth.
The speakers called for stronger action to protect rivers, warning that polluted waterways remained a threat to public health and food security.
In a lecture, Professor Adeyinka Shobowale of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, highlighted the dangers of indiscriminate dumping of waste into rivers.
Addressing the gathering, Managing Director of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority, Dr Adedeji Ashiru, represented by Prince Olufemi Dokunmu, reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to water sustainability.
Also, representatives of the Olu of Osiele, Oba Olufemi Olowonyo and the Chairman of the host community, Mr Bamidele Nathaniel, pledged to work with government and experts to keep rivers clean.
The event with the theme, “Clean Rivers, Healthy Communities,” also featured a symbolic river cleaning and tree planting exercise at Laketu River in Odeda Local Government, where residents, students and officials joined hands to demonstrate the message.
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