The Minister of Water Resources, Mr. Suleiman Adamu, has disclosed that the Federal Government borrowed $495 million from the World Bank for the implementation of the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria Project (TRIMING).
Adamu, who gave this hint in Abuja on Tuesday while briefing journalists on the achievements of his ministry since his assumption of office, said that the project involved the rehabilitation/expansion of about 42,000ha of irrigation land under the first phase to be completed 2022.
The minister explained why the ministry initiated only two projects in three years, pointing out that the decision is to ensure that all projects inherited by him and those initiated during his tenure are completed before embarking on new ones.
He listed some of the projects completed by the ministry so far as the Dukku regional water supply and Kazaure water supply in Gombe and Jigawa states respectively.
The minister explained: “We committed to completing all ongoing viable projects in the ministry to drive optimism benefits from government’s investments. It is instructive to note that since the inception of this administration, my ministry has initiated only two new major projects.
“This underscores our emphasis on completion of the numerous ongoing and abandoned projects we inherited”, Adamu added.
He noted, however, that out of the 12,220 megawatts of hydro power in the country, only 1,930mw had been developed at Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro dams.
The minister, while signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government and Nasaraw State Government for the former’s takeover of the Farin Ruwa Dam in the state, the minister stressed that the decision was for the government to fast-track the completion of the project.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Nasawara State Governor, Tanko Al’Makura, promised to provide all relevant documents on the project to the Federal Government to achieve the purpose of the pact.
He assured: “It is a commendable step by the government and we promise to support the government for speedy completion. Nasarawa government will keep the terms of agreement by handing over relevant documents.”
