Completion of Dam, Irrigation Projects Top Priority of Buhari’s Government — Adamu

–By Yange Ikyaa

Despite its inheritance of 116 ongoing and abandoned irrigation and water projects from the past governments in 2015, as well as a debt liability of N89 billion, the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all projects are completed and commissioned, and that the country’s water resources maximally serve the needs of all Nigerian citizens.

According to the Minister of Water Resources, Eng. Suleiman Adamu, “when we came in, we inherited 116 ongoing and abandoned projects and we had a liability of N89 billion; that was what we had inherited. That was a serious problem, 38 irrigation projects and over 40 water supply projects. Obviously, in four years there is no way we can finish them. Some projects have been started as far back as 1987. Some projects were abandoned in 2000 and we have only been able to revive them.’’

The Ministry is currently implementing the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria programme in partnership with the World Bank to the tune of $495 million, which involves the rehabilitation and expansion of about 42,000 hectares of irrigation land under the first phase to be completed by 2022.

At the moment, the Bakolori, Hadeija, Kano River, Dadin Kowa, and Middle Rima Irrigation projects are ongoing, with the overall goal of poverty reduction and sustainable agricultural production.

And with only 1,930 megawatts out of the 12, 220 megawatts of hydro power potential being developed at Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro Dams, efforts are now ongoing to concession some of the dams in the country to private investors who will commercially run them based on viable business models so that such multibillion naira water assets could become more beneficial to the populace.

“Recent reports based on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) baseline show that Nigeria has attained 69 per cent coverage in terms of water supply, but Adamu said the target for MDGs was 75 per cent and is still being pursued. “We only achieved 69 per cent.’’

Data from the Ministry of Water Resources show that in 1992, 30 per cent of the Nigerian population enjoyed pipebone water but that percentage declined to seven per cent in 2015.

The Minister who spoke to Valuechain in an exclusive interview said “this was what led us to series of discussions, retreats and consultations leading to the Federal Government declaring the state of emergency on water and sanitation.’’

The ministry has now prioritized projects into four categories to enable it execute selected projects to attain 80 or 90 percent completion within the shortest possible time.

“We had to do a quick audit and decided on which one we can prioritize. We gave them different categories and we categorized them into four – high, medium, low priorities and projects that are not viable and we just decided to drop them.

“Of course, we established criteria for those projects that may attain 80 or 90 per cent completion, we say there should be no hanging, so we decided to finish them,’’ said minister.

One of the major criteria is that the ministry looks at projects that have high impact on the communities, and as much as 20 of these top priority projects in terms of irrigation and water supply have been completed, while others are still going on.

With other projects still billed to be inaugurated in 2019, the ministry has also developed a new irrigation and drainage policy, as well as new water resources policy which have already been passed by the Federal Executive Council.

The Federal Government has also been working on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Bank to assist six cities in the country on urban water supply, even as the Federal Government is keen on signing a partnership arrangement to improve on the Ikere Gorge Dam in Iseyin, Oyo State to harness its full potential.

The minister lamented about several abandoned water projects across the federation under the past administrations and said that sum of N3 billion would be provided annually to states with workable water master plans.

“The existing master plan on water resources in the country was abandoned and contracts were awarded without recourse to the needs of the country.

“To realize adequate water supply, we would increase our intervention to support state governments to the tune of N3 billion annually. This would be for states that have proper water master plan,” he said.

The Ministry is now vigorously pursuing the Action Plan on Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), as approved by the Federal Executive Council and the PEWASH programme, to attain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, of access to water supply and sanitation for all by Year 2030.

It is also pursuing the National Irrigation Development Programme for attaining additional 500,000 hectares by 2030 and facilitating the development of additional 1,000,000 hectares by the private sector and state governments.

“We will continue with reforms of the River Basin Development Authorities and ensure the implementation of their respective action plans so that they deliver on their mandate to boost agricultural production in the country and achieve integrated rural development.

“We will also continue our collaboration with the Lake Chad Basin Commission, LCBC, in our efforts to save Lake Chad from extinction, thereby averting attendant ecological challenges and protecting the livelihood of over 40 million people who depend on it.”

The huge work accomplished by the Ministry of Water Resources in so short a time may have been hinged on the managerial and professional capabilities of the Minister, coupled with his vast experience of over two decades.

Eng. Adamu’s career in the public sector began at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in 1985, where he supervised roads and bridges construction in Abuja Central Area Project; and at the Water Resources and Engineering Construction Agency (WRECA), Kano State, where he designed, supervised and managed several water and dam projects.

He later co-founded Integrated Engineering Associates (IEA), a leading firm of civil/structural, electrical, mechanical and environmental engineering consultancy, where he has been involved in the planning, design, supervision and management of several buildings and civil engineering projects in Nigeria, covering a wide spectrum of engineering and infrastructural works like office/commercial structures, as well as roads and water supply schemes.

Between 1995 and 2000, following his secondment by IEA as Principal Consultant under a partnership agreement with Afri-Projects Consortium, Management Consultants to the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund, Adamu was actively involved in the planning and preparation of several national infrastructural projects in the health, education, transportation, agriculture, water resources and energy sectors.

At the implementation stage, he served as Project Manager on several projects, notably under the PTF Urban/Semi-Urban, Regional and Rural Water Supply Programmes, National Farm Power Machinery Rehabilitation Programme, and National Waterways Development Project (dredging of River Niger).