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Suleiman Adamu, Nigeria’s minister of water resources, on Friday, said nine irrigation projects were completed between 2016 and 2022 to boost water resources and irrigation development in the country.
Adamu said the feat was part of the ministry’s water resources and irrigation development roadmap on his assumption of office in 2015.
He said the National Irrigation Programme 2016-2030, being implemented, was aimed at reducing dependency on rain-fed agriculture, boost agriculture production and support the nation’s quest for food security.
“Nine irrigation projects were completed between 2016 and 2022; Sabke, Shagari, Sepeteri, and Ejule-Ojebe irrigation projects.
“Others are the Mamu Akwa Drainage and Land Reclamation, Promotion of Gender/Women participation in irrigated agriculture, Centre Pivot System Irrigation, Obinda Drainage Projectm, Supply and Installation of Tubewells and Water pumps, Phase one,’’ Adamu said in Abuja.
He added that the ministry had also completed and concessioned three hydropower projects to boost energy sufficiency in hydropower generation in the country.
They are the 30 MW Gurara Hydropower Project, Kaduna state, 40 MW Kashimbila Hydropower Project in Taraba and the 40 MW Dadin-Kowa Hydropower Project in Gombe state. The minister said upon assumption of office, his resolve was to effectively develop the water sector through the development of a blueprint and action plan to strengthen the River Basin Development Authorities.
This decision, he said, had seen the creation of 78,298 both direct and indirect jobs for youths across the 12 River Basin Development Authorities.
According to him, eight priority dam projects were ongoing, adding that improved management and operations had resulted in an increase of 1.8 billion cubic meters of impounded water across various dams and reservoirs.
“This is bringing the total volume of impounded water to 30.1 billion cubic metres, we have eight ongoing priority dam projects.
“They are: Mangu Dam, Ingawa/Dallaje Dam, Ile-Ife Dam, Ogbesse Dam, Kontagora Dam, Irawo Dam, Nkari Dam, and Jare Dam, many of them are between 40 and 80 percent completed,’’ he added.
