FG hands over 289 hectares to Jigawa farmers

By Razak Owolabi

The Federal Government has handed back to Jigawa farmers, a total of 289 hectares of farmland under the Gari Irrigation Project.

This was announced in a press release on Friday signed by Mrs Kenechukwu Offie, Director (Press and Public Relations Unit), Federal Ministry of Water Resources in Abuja.

The release stated that the handing–over was performed in Jigawa, by the Minister of Water Resources, Malam Suleiman Adamu on Thursday, following the completion of work on irrigation infrastructure in the sector.

The sector will see 1,472 benefitting farmers being added to the project, the release noted.

The project is in line with the commitment of President Buhari’s vision towards diversifying the nation’s economy, ensuring food security and enhancing the welfare of Nigerian citizens.

This, the President has assured would empower and bring 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within 10 years.

According to the release, the project is coming back to life with irrigation activities now taking place after more than 20 years of delay and inactivity.

Speaking at the occasion, Adamu noted that Gari Irrigation Project covered 2,114 hectares, supplied with water from Gari and Marke Dams in the Northeastern part of Kunchi Local Government Area of Kano State.

The Irrigation and Drainage Infrastructure falls within five local government areas, namely: Kazaure and Roni in Jigawa State; and Kunchi, Dambatta and Makoda in Kano State.

The Minister noted that so far, about 3,056 hectares of farmland from 12 sectors had been completed and handed over to beneficiary farmers.

Adamu urged the farmers to be diligent and protect the project from the unguarded abstraction of water and physical damage to the irrigation infrastructure.

The Minister expressed his gratitude to President Buhari and the Federal Executive Council for their support during the review of the Gari Irrigation Project.

Adamu assured that he would continue to work with the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning as well as the National Assembly to ensure sustained funding until the project was completed.

NAN