Kwara govt partners World Bank to improve irrigation farming
AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Kwara State Governor, has reiterated government’s commitment to collaborating with the World Bank in the area of irrigation farming in the state.
The Governor made this known at the Stakeholders Engagement meeting on Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria Projects (SPIN), held at Peace Hotel Conference Hall, Tanke, in Ilorin the state capital.
Represented by the Special Adviser on Special Duties, Hon. Razaq Jida, the governor described Kwara North Senatorial District as the food basket of the state, Kwara Central as the economic hub, and Kwara South, known for its agricultural practice, noting that if the project is sited in the state, it will increase the living standard of the people.
In his welcome address, the State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Usman Yunusa Lade said the project is a laudable one that will benefit the good people of the state by uplifting their economic status, while emphasizing that the state has enough dams that will meet the World Bank requirements for the establishment of the project across the state.
In his own contribution, the Managing Director, Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Ilorin, Dr. Adeniyi Aremu explained that his Agency, through the World Bank, has collaborated with the state government on several projects, noting that this one would not be an exception, while assuring the participants of his agency’s determination to ensure the success of the projects across the state.
Also speaking, the representative of the World Bank from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Abuja, Engr. Bello Garba highlighted the World Bank’s detailed requirements for the establishment of the project in any part of the country.
According to him, some of the requirements include: availability of existing dam; counterpart funding; 500 hectares of land; proper records of water users association; and study and design, among others.
Engr. Garba stated that the World Bank adheres strictly to these criteria for the project to be sited in any state across the country.
The Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs. Christiana Asonibare told the participants that the state government would do the needful to ensure that the people of the state benefit tremendously from the project.
She thanked the participants for their contributions, especially Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for creating the enabling environment and support for the project.
