By YANGE IKYAA
The minister of water resources, Suleiman Adamu, has again commissioned numerous life-changing projects that were carried out by his ministry through the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority in Makurdi, the capital city of Benue State.
These projects include a fully completed rice mill with approximate capacity to produce 16 tonnes of rice per day or 2 tones per hour, and the Songhai Integrated Model Farm with different sections, including fishery, animals, poultry, vegetables and fruits, which is located at the headquarters of the authority in Makurdi.
While commissioning the Songhai Integrated Model Farm, Adamu informed that the essence is to ensure food sufficiency in the near future in order to cater for the now over bloated population of Nigeria.
He reiterated that each River Basin Development Authority must continue to be an enabler for food security and socio-economic development.
Alongside the commissioning of the two gigantic projects, the minister performed the foundation laying ceremony for the new office complex extension, which is expected to house about 100 staff of the authority, when completed.
Adamu took a facility tour of the different sections of the newly constructed rice mill, supervising raw materials, polishing, parboiled and finished product, as well as the Songhai Integrated Model Farm.
He equally used the occasion to inspect the ongoing construction of a feed mill, also located at the headquarters of the authority.
While addressing the staff of the agency, the mnister urged all to ensure harmonious good working environment in order to get the best out all employees. He urged the staff to always add value to their work and advised the management and all staff to work in harmony, as well as embrace teamwork towards ensuring greater profitability.
In his welcome address, the managing director of Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, Engr. Mohammed Andra, said that the numerous and laudable achievements of the authority was a direct off-shoot of the developed water resources development roadmap by the minister, which contains laudable policy initiatives that had strengthened the River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) as enablers for food security and socio-economic development.
Andra identified the clearing of over two thousand hectres of farmland across the four catchment states of Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and Kogi (East of the River Niger); the newly commissioned rice mill; the establishment of two Songhai Integrated Model Farm Schemes located at Doma, Nasarawa State, which are working in optimum capacity; the acquisition of 8N0s greenhouse units, with three installed at the Headquarters of the RBDA in Makurdi, two at Oforachi Project in Kogi State, two at Keffi Project in Nasarawa State and 1N0 at Doma Project, also in Nasarawa State, with massive production of assorted vegetables growing in them, including bell peppers, tomatoes and cucumber.
Also among these projects being championed by the Andra-led administration is the Doma Small Hydro-Power Installation Project, which has resumed work after a little setback by the effect of COVID-19.
This project, according to Adra, has received full assurance from UNIDO for the supply of very important electro-mechanical equipment by March 2023, with the expectation that this project will be completed before the end of the year.
Another milestone is the completion of about two thousand motorized boreholes with overheard tanks and numerous hand pumps across the Authority’s catchment area.
