The newly appointed Managing Directors of the 12 River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) last Friday collected their letters of appointment from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

Reporters say that President Goodluck Jonathan  had approved the reconstitution of the management teams of the RBDAs based on the principle of seniority, professionalism and national spread.

In an interview with newsmen in Abuja, Mr. Nelson Nwosu, the Director, River Basins Operations and Inspectorate, said that the selection of the teams was based on merit.

“The selection was based on transparency, merit, seniority, experience and qualification.

“The posts became vacant for various reasons, some of the former MDs have served out their terms and some left for other reasons, so there were real vacant posts that needed to be filled.

“It is not a question of change, it is a question of filling the existing vacancies, “Nwosu said.

He said the management teams were expected to use their positions to boost food  production through irrigated agriculture.

According to the director, the RBDAs have facilities for irrigation, improved water supply to the rural areas because the agencies operate in the rural areas and the rural people don’t have water.

“We want them to accelerate the process of water supply to the rural communities to use their existing dams to generate electricity and to improve the environment.

“To work toward the improvement of the environment by checking erosion and flooding because they have a lot of potentials to do this and funds will be provided to achieve this feat, “Nwosu said.

He identified the major challenges facing the RDBAs as policy inconsistency and inadequate funding.

“We know that it is impossible to meet their funding needs but we ask them to be prudent with whatever they are given to see that they spend it wisely.

“The ministry is also in the process of establishing a coordinating  department to manage the operations of the basins for efficiency”, he said.

Some of the managing directors who spoke with reporters promised to transform the river basins to boost food production, create employments as well as work toward the reduction of poverty in the country.

Our source reports that the inauguration of the new managements of the RBDAs is slated to hold on January 18, 2011.