The Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, has reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to boosting food production across the country through the development of dams and irrigation projects to ensure food security across Nigeria.
The Minister made this declaration during his recent visit to the Goronyo Dam and Middle Rima Valley Irrigation Project (MRVIP). He was accompanied by key officials of Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRBDA) and representatives from SCC TRIMING, Sinohydro, and Gilmor Engineering.
Goronyo highlighted that the stability and functionality of the dams are crucial to achieving agricultural objectives, making the well-being of the dam a primary concern. He also underscored the commitment to ensuring that contractors complete the work they have signed for, reflecting the government’s stance on accountability and project completion.
The Minister assured that more funds will be provided to ensure timely project completion.
In his remarks, the project coordinator, Shuaibu Isa, recalled that the visit marks the fourth of its kind in recent times, emphasizing the Federal Government’s commitment to ongoing projects and to assessing the progress of works at the two sites involved in the projects.
He further briefed that Sinohydro is currently executing the dam rehabilitation, river training, and construction of dykes for the TRIMING project, while Gilmor Engineering is executing Phase II of the MRVIP for the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
He added that the Dam Rehabilitation Project is addressing several critical tasks, including gate misclosure on the Rima Main Canal (RMC) intake, provision of solar power at the dam headworks, pumping station, and quarters, raising the Keta old dyke, and defining the collection drain between the Keta new dyke and BK 6.7. Other tasks highlighted included reinstating the removed outlet structure in BK 6.6 & 6.7, protecting the rehabilitated Takakume protection dyke, and extending the dyke to protect Takakume village.
Regarding irrigation fields development, the Minister was briefed by the Project Coordinator on the progress and methodologies adopted by Gilmor Engineering for the irrigation fields’ development.
Mr. Hu, representing Sinohydro, assured that their priority is to resolve the gate misclosure issue with the necessary technique, manpower, and materials. He emphasized the need for support and cooperation from SRRBDA and project management staff, which was affirmed by the Executive Director of Agric Services, who represented the Managing Director.
