IN a bid to tackle high food prices, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr Joseph Utsev, Thursday, disclosed of 15,000 hectares of irrigable land to be handed over to farmers.
Utsev made the disclosure in a keynote address delivered at the official opening ceremony of the 30th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Water Resources and Sanitation with theme ‘People, Planet and Prosperity: Promoting Water Governance for National Food Security’.
According to him, food security, ending poverty, economic growth and job creation, inclusivity, and security were approved by President Bola Tinubu as presidential priority areas for the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation.
He also said that the theme of this 30th Meeting of the National Council on Water Resources and Sanitation ‘People, Planet and Prosperity: Promoting Water Governance for National Food Security’ will not have come at a better time than now given the present administration’s comprehensive plan on food security, affordability and sustainability.
He said: “Irrigation and Food Security Irrigated agricultural practice has been identified as key to a vibrant Nigerian economy, accounting for a high percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and a viable intervention option that will ensure national food security and poverty alleviation.
“Since the last Council Meeting, some completed irrigation schemes have been completed and handed over to farmers for cultivation through the World Bank Sponsored Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) Project.
“These schemes include: The Hadejia Valley 5,750ha irrigation scheme in Jigawa State; Kano River 14,444ha irrigation scheme in Kano State; and Gari 2,114ha irrigation project in Kano and Jigawa States.
“The Ministry is also, developing irrigable areas totalling over 15,000ha, which is nearing completion. This will be handed over to farmers by the end of the 3rd quarter of year 2024.”
He also made it known that in order to transform and promote Irrigation development towards sustainable food production and security for the greater socio-economic well-being of the nation in line with the Tinubu-led administration’s ‘Renewed Hope’ Agenda, the Ministry proposes to channel all efforts towards achieving the target of developing 500,000 hectares of land by 2030.
“This will be achieved in collaboration with the Federal Department of Irrigation and Drainage, River Basin Development Authorities, States, LGAs, and the Private Sector”, he said.
Meanwhile, according to the Minister, the Ministry has made substantial progress in both regional and global water space in the implementation of the Programme for the Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Niger Basin (PIDACC/NB) which is supported by African Development Bank as a lead donor.
However, he (Utsev) in his keynote address disclosed that the Ministry will re-engage the 10th National Assembly on the passage the Water Resources Bill.
“As you are aware, the National Water Resources Bill was passed by the House of Representatives in 2018 but could not scale through the 8th and 9th Senate.
“The Ministry will still re-engage with the 10th National Assembly to ensure the passage of the Bill. When passed into law, the Bill will establish an effective legal, and regulatory framework in the water sector in Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the Minister also made it known that the Federal Government through his Ministry has concessioned 110 megawatts of hydropower, while 967 megawatts are currently developed to also meet the energy demands of Nigerians.
“Public Private Partnership (PPP)In line with the recent trends in PPP, our Ministry has been able to attract private sector investors for the development of some identified PPP projects in the Water sector, especially in the areas of Hydropower project development in collaboration with other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
“This effort, which aligns with the theme of this year’s Council meeting, is now supporting the needed increase in the nation’s clean electricity generation as well as job creation.
“The Ministry has made tremendous progress in the Brown and Green Field Hydropower Development through PPPs.
“We have conclusively concessioned some projects while still developing others through various PPP models itemized below:Concession of the 40MW Dadinkowa Hydropower Project in Gombe State.
“We have attained financial closure and the plant is operational thereby stabilizing the transmission voltage of the North-East of Nigeria.
“Concession of the 30MW Gurara Hydropower Plant in Kaduna State up to financial closure and the plant which is under rehabilitation will commence commercial operation in the third quarter of the year 2024.
“Concession of the 40MW Kashimbila Hydropower Plant in Taraba State. The FEC approval has been secured, the concession agreement executed and the commencement Fee paid by the Concessionaire to the Special Concession Account as approved by the Federal Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning.
“Development of 360MW Gurara Phase II Hydropower Project in Niger State (EPC contract awarded and FEC approval for the concession of Operation and Maintenance of the Power Plant through PPP Model secured).
“Development of 136 MW Manya and 182MW Bawaku Hydropower Project in Taraba and Benue States respectively. This is at the procurement stage and ready to proceed to the Request for Proposal (RFP) Stage.
“Development of 460 MW Katsina-Ala Hydropower Project in Benue. This is also at the procurement stage; Proceeding to the Request for Proposal (RFP) Stage/Negotiation with the Proponent.
“Development of 20MW Farin Ruwa Hydropower Plant Project in Nasarawa State. Advertisement of Request for Qualification (RFQ) has been placed in the Federal Tenders Journal, The Nation, and Leadership Newspapers of Monday, 22nd January 2024 for value for money to the Government.”
On water quality, sanitation and hygiene, the Minister said the Ministry has constructed 9,198 sanitation facilities in 127 Local Government Areas to serve 550,820 people in public places and institutions including markets, motor parks, Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camps, schools, and others.
He also assured that the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ Campaign that was launched in 2019 and to end open defecation by next year 2025, and on this determination his Ministry “will aggressively drive the process of improving sanitation and address the menace of open defecation in Nigeria, by scaling –up the current strategies in the ongoing nationwide sensitization.”
Meanwhile, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike who was represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary of the FCTA, Udo Atang, officially declared open the 30th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Water Resources and Sanitation.