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 statement on Friday signed by 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, Suleiman Adamu, on Thursday, following 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 to diversifying the 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 statement, 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, Mr Adamu said theGari Irrigation Project covered 2,114 hectares, supplied with water from Gari and Marke Dams in the North- eastern 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 said so far, about 3,056 hectares of farmland from 12 sectors had been completed and handed over to beneficiary farmers.
Mr 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
Mr Adamu said 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.
The Governor of Jigawa, Mohammed Abubakar, in his speech, said people, especially youth, in the five local government areas and environs have no business migrating to the urban areas in search of greener pastures again.
Mr Abubakar urged them to make good use of the opportunity and infrastructure to provide for themselves as well as their families.
Also speaking, the Emir of Kazaure, Najib Adamu, urged the farmers to ensure diligent use as well as protection of the irrigation facilities
The emir extolled the virtues of President Buhari and the Minister of Water Resources in bequeathing the farmers with irrigation facilities for all year farming.
Earlier in her brief, the Ag. Director, Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Esther Oluniyi, said the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, through her Department, took a decision to complete the project sectorally.
Mrs Oluniyi said this was to enable the farmers to have the full benefit of the all year round farming activities as the project progressed.
(NAN)
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