FEC approves N40bn for resuscitation of Kontagora Dam

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved N40.2 billion for the resuscitation and completion of Kontagora/Auna Dam and Irrigation project in Niger as well as N226 million for pests control along 11 frontline states.
FROM LEFT: Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita; Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Kyari; Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Hajiya Habiba Lawan; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; President Muhammadu Buhari; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe; Minister of State for Agriculture, Sen Heineken Lokpobiri and Minister of Budget and National Planing during the Federal Executive Council Meeting in Abuja (26/10/17) - Callistus Ewelike/NAN

Ministers of Water Resources and Agriculture, Suleiman Adamu and Audu Ogbeh, respectively, said these were part of the Council’s decisions at its weekly meeting which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The ministers briefed State House correspondents alongside Okechukwu Enelamah, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, as well as Abubakar Malami, Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

Mr. Adamu said the council approved the upward review of the cost of the Kontagora/Auna dam project which was abandoned after reaching 61 per cent completion from N8.9 billion to N40.2 billion.

“As part of our efforts to complete ongoing projects which were hiked over time we presented a memo to the Federal Executive Council towards resuscitating and completing the Kontagora/Auna Dam and Irrigation project in Niger State.

“You could recall that we had a technical audit at the beginning of last year, of all the ongoing projects in the ministry and this project was ranked as among the top priority projects.
“It had attained 61 per cent progress before it was abandoned in 2010. This is the project that was initiated in 1985.”

The minister said the federal government is working towards increasing the land for irrigation by 100,000 hectares to boost agricultural activities across the country. Ogbeh, said the approved N223 million was meant for the procurement of chemicals to check locust and Quelea birds’ invasion of farmlands in the 11 frontline states.

The affected states are Kano, Jigawa, Borno, Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kano, Bauchi, Gombe and Adamawa. Ogbeh said the Council had resolved to use drones in spraying the chemicals to achieve maximum result.

He also said the Council discussed the persistent problem of rice smuggling along the nation’s border towns, saying efforts are being intensified by the Nigeria Customs Service to check the menace.

 (NAN)

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