FG to construct 13 dams/irrigation projects between now and 2020 as seven are ready for inauguration

The Federal Government, on Tuesday, announced that seven dams, irrigation and water supply projects had been completed and were ready for inauguration.

It also announced plans to complete another set of seven water supply projects and 13 dams/irrigation projects between 2018 and 2020.

The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, disclosed this in Abuja while presenting his progress report as a minister in the last three years.

Among the seven completed projects ready for the inauguration are Kashimbila Dam in Taraba State; Ogwashi-Uku Dam, Delta State; Shagari Irrigation Project, Sokoto State; Galdam Dam, Kaduna State; and Ekeremor Water Supply Project, Edo State.

Others are Mangu Water Supply Project, Plateau State; and Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi Water Supply Project, Benue State.

According to Adamu, only two new projects were initiated by his ministry since the inception of the current administration in 2015.

He said, “We are committed to completing all ongoing viable projects in the ministry to derive optimum benefits for 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.”

As earlier announced in 2017, the minister again told guests at the event that the World Bank was supporting the implementation of the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria Project with a credit facility of $495m.

Adamu said, “The project involves the rehabilitation/expansion of about 42,000 hectares of irrigation land under the first phase, to be completed by 2022.