Zamfara, Sokoto, four other states in the North to benefit from irrigation project

By Tosin Kolade

The Federal Government says six states of Zamfara, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and Gombe will benefit from its Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project.

The Project Coordinator, Mr Peter Manjuk, disclosed this when officials from the Federal Ministry of Resources carried out a familiarisation tour to Bakolori Irrigation Scheme in Zamfara.

He said the project was targeted at rehabilitating all existing dams to make them meet irrigation and hydropower needs of the country.

According to him, Nigeria must get it right, if it must meet the demands of food production and food security.

Manjuk said in spite of huge investments on dams and irrigation, it had not achieved any meaningful socio-economic impact, saying there was need for deliberate efforts to meet this target.

He stressed the need for farmers to take ownership of all irrigation projects to enable them boost food production at its optimum level.

The project coordinator said the World Bank sponsored project has begun rehabilitation of the Bakolori irrigation scheme, saying it would be completed within three years.

Alhaji Lawal Maidoki, Project Manager, Bakolori Irrigation Scheme, said since 1983 that the dam was created, it had been providing domestic water supply to Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.

Maidoki said there was the need for investors to come in to rehabilitate the dam towards improving food production, flood control and power generation.

He said the dam was faced with low workforce, due to retirement, and infrastructure vandalisation, calling for improved security to reverse this trend.

He, however, added that with the TRIMING project on board, farmers now put in their best.

Mr Abubakar Aliyu, Assistant Director, Hydropower, Federal Ministry of Power, said the ministry was partnering with its Water Resources counterpart to increase power generation in the country.

Aliyu said eight hydropower dams have been earmarked to be concessioned on power generation, adding that it would take effect soon.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Songhai Farms Limited in Porto Novo to reposition the River Basins across the country.

Part of the provision is the introduction of the Graduate and youth empowerment scheme to boost food security.

– NAN