The Minister of Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu, says 13 major water projects will be inaugurated in early 2018 to boost water supply, agriculture and hydro electric power generation.
He said this on Friday in Abuja at a news conference to mark two years of his administration of the ministry.
Adamu listed the projects as northern Ishan regional water supply project and Ojirami Dam in Edo, Kashimbilla Dam in Taraba and Ogwashi-Uku Dam in Delta, among others.
He said that the Shagari and Barkin Ladi irrigation projects in Sokoto and Plateau states were part of the projects.
He also said that Inyishi water supply project, Ekeremor, Sabke/Dutsi/Mashi water projects as well as Zobe and Mangu water projects would also be ready for inauguration early next year.
Adamu said: “We have concluded a technical audit and prioritised the hitherto uncompleted or abandoned 116 major projects which we met in the ministry.
“We are deploying most of our resources toward the completion and inauguration of all the high and medium priority projects from 2016 to 2019.
“It is in this regard that we have completed and inaugurated Central Ogbia regional water supply project in Bayelsa State, while looking forward to inaugurating others in early 2018.”
To reposition the ministry for effective service delivery, the minister said that reorganisation and manpower review of the ministry had been concluded.
Adamu said that the measure was to facilitate the redeployment of some technical personnel in the ministry to achieve the objectives for its establishment.
He said that the restructuring of other key departments of the ministry was underway so as to enhance the technical and professional competence of the ministry.
The minister said that the National Irrigation Development Programme was launched to facilitate the economic diversification plans of the Federal Government, while promoting food security and creating employment in the country.
On sanitation, Adamu decried the menace of open defecation in the country, adding, however, that this could be attributed to the lack of water supply in some areas.
He, therefore, pledged the ministry’s sustained collaboration with development partners to make the country “Open Defecation Free’’ by 2025.
He said: “Only recently we celebrated the first local government area to be declared open defecation free in Obaniku Local Government Area in Cross River State.
“More LGAs are now ready for ODF certification after necessary verification procedures have been undertaken.”
Besides, the minister said that the Federal Government had, in the last two years, made efforts to revitalise River Basin Development Authorities across the nation so as to boost agricultural production in the country.
Adamu said that the ministry, under his supervision, had brought the environmental challenges facing Lake Chad to the attention of the international community.
He added that the ministry had championed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with a Chinese company, which was currently undertaking further feasibility studies of Lake Chad.
Minister says 13 major water projects ready for inauguration in early 2018
