Godwin Amunde
The APC Legacy Awareness and Campaign, (APC-LAC) a voluntary think-tank group of the governing party, said President Muhammadu Buhari has recorded groundbreaking achievements in the water sector.
The group argued that the President Buhari-led administration has inherited and completed dozens of projects in the water sector abandoned prior to 2015.
In a statement released on Wednesday in Abuja and signed by the quartets of Barr Ismail Ahmed, Lanre Issa-Onilu, Tolu Ogunlesi, and Salihu Moh Lukman, the group said the administration, following a 2016 technical audit identified 116 inherited projects for priority completion while the sector has received increased federal attention and investment, with groundbreaking results being achieved so far.
Part of the statement reads:
“A technical audit in 2016 identified 116 inherited projects for priority completion: 37 dams and reservoirs, 41 water supply projects, 38 irrigation and drainage projects. With the same relentless focus being applied to building and completing rail, road and aviation projects, these water sector projects are receiving increased federal attention and investment, with groundbreaking results being achieved so far.
“Since 2016, 12 dams have been completed by the Buhari-led administration spread across 11 states, as follows: Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam, Taraba; Ogwashi-Uku Multipurpose Dam, Delta; Adada Dam, Enugu; Sulma Earth Dam, Katsina; Gimi Earth Dam, Kaduna; Amla-Otukpo Dam, Benue; Amauzari Earth Dam, Imo; Ibiono-Ibom Earth Dam, Akwa Ibom; Gadau/Lafia Zigau Dam, Bauchi; Alajue Small Earth Dam, Osun; Kampe Omi Dam, Kogi (Rehabilitation) and Kargo Dam, Kaduna (Rehabilitation). Another eight dam projects, eight hydropower projects, 16 irrigation projects, and 11 Water Supply Projects are scheduled for completion by 2023.
“Three Hydropower Projects have also been completed, as follows: Gurara Hydropower Project, 30MW, Kaduna State – completed and concessioned in 2020; Kashimbila Hydropower Project, 40MW, Taraba, now ready for concessioning; and the Dadin-Kowa Hydropower Project, 40MW, Gombe, which has been completed, and is now feeding into the National Grid.
“Greater levels of financing are being devoted to the water resources sector, as well as increased cooperation with sub-national governments, who equally have a lot of responsibility in ensuring that the populace benefit from these infrastructure projects. We call on the state governments to take full advantage of the Water Supply and Irrigation Projects completed by the Federal Government, for the benefit of their communities and farmers respectively.
“In all, the Buhari-led administration continues to demonstrate unprecedented commitment to the renewal and expansion of the country’s infrastructure stock, across all vital areas of the economy.”
