FG AWARDS CONTRACT TO REVIVE RICE IRRIGATION PROJECTS IN ANAMBRA & ENUGU STATES
Reporter : UCHE NDEKE –
The Federal Government has awarded contract for the construction of concrete lining on forty kilometer irrigation canal along the Lower Anambra Irrigation Project in Anambra State. It also approved the concrete lining of primary and secondary irrigation canal totaling 22.45 kilometers in Adani, Uzouwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Handing over the projects to a Chinese construction firm, the Zonal Project Coordinator, Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase – 1, South East Zone, Mr. Romanus Egba, said the two projects, which had a one year completion timeline would enhance rice cultivation in the region.
Some analysts in the Agric sector had given the President Muhamadu Buhari led Federal Government a pass mark in its efforts to make Nigeria self sufficient in rice production. This is in view of the several measures taken, including banning the importation of foreign rice into the country.
However, lack of water leading to poor irrigation system is said to be one of the major set backs for some rice farmers in South East Zone of the country, including those in Omor and Umumbo in Anambra State, as well as Adani in Uzouwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.
This prompted the governments of Anambra and Enugu States through their counterpart funding with ATASP- 1 to collaborate with the Federal Government to ensure that the irrigation projects were resuscitated. The Zonal Project Cordinator, Mr. Romanus Egba said the 3.9 (three-point-nine) billion Naira project for concrete canal lining within Omor and Umumbo communities upon completion would guarantee all year rice farming activities in the area.
Mr. Egba, who confirmed that the concrete canal lining contract in Adani, Uzouwani of Enugu State worth over two-billion Naira, called on residents of both states to take ownership of the projects as it would go a long way to change their economic status when completed. Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Mathew Idu, while commending the government for the step taken to revitalise the Adani rice farm settlement, expressed the hope that there would be food security in the area when the work got completed .
His Anambra State counterpart,
Who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Stephanie Keri-Uzor, while noting that the state was committed to agricultural development said the 3,850 (three thousand eight hundred and fifty) hectares of irrigation land within Omor and Umumbo would no doubt become a beehive of rice activities after the resuscitation plan.
The Presidents General of Umumbo, Mr. Anthony Nnamah, his Omor counterpart, Chief Chukwuma Nebeife, as well as the President General of Adani Community, thanked both the federal and state governments for the laudable agricultural projects and promised to ensure that the contracting firm worked in a conducive environment.
In an interview, the representative of the Chinese Firm, Mr Bai gave an assurance that they would work according to contract specifications and also deliver in record time.
The National Progrmame Coordinator of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase 1, Dr. Ibrahim Arabi, who was represented on the occasion by the National Civil Engineer of ATASP- 1, Mr. Usman Abdullahi, harped on the need for effective maintenance culture to ensure the sustainability of the projects.