Food Security: Kogi Govt. Inspects Omi Kampe dam, reiterates commitment in actualization of SPIN project
In pursuant of the present administration’s commitment to food security and power generation, the Kogi State Government has reassured that dams across the State will be effectively utilized for irrigations farming and power generation.
The Kogi State Commissioner for Water resources Engr Yahaya Danladi Farouk gave the assurance on Monday while inspecting the facilities of Omi Kampe dam as part of the State Government commitment to the world bank supported project, Sustainable Power Irrigation in Nigeria, (SPIN).
He noted that the SPIN project is aimed at utilizing the dam for farming and Omi Kampe dam has satisfied the world bank criterias.
- Advertisement -
According to him, “This dam is a federal government operated dam under the lower Niger basin development authority designed purposely for irrigation. Governor Ododo promised the people of Kogi State that agriculture and food security remains one of the priority of his administration.
“The project aims at expanding arable land around the dam itself. The second component of the project is the power generation which to a large extent was satisfied after meeting the criteria of the world bank. It is not just this dam alone, others are coming in because it is in stages.
“It covers all the dams owned and operated by both the Federal and State Government. Omi Kampe Dam has satisfied that criteria. We are also working on others in the East and Central Senatorial District of Kogi State”.
The Commissioner, who noted that the project is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2025 said “What we are doing here is the base line data collection for the commencement of the project in which Kogi State under Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo is almost at 90 percent.
” The State Government is fully committed to pay the counterpart fund which is above N700million because we have more of the dams in the State to cater for. We have model one and model two. This is under model one.
” We evaluated up to seven dams, both small and bigger dams in the State. But for now, following the selection criteria, the Omi Kampe dam is 100 percent ready which will serve as a gate way for us to enter, which we have already entered. Our next move is Kogi East and Central to meet the criteria of the world bank on the SPIN project, which I believe Governor Ododo is not resting on his oars to do”
“The government is targeting a minimum of 500 hectares of land to be cultivated. The situation here, is that they have 3500 to be cultivated but they are currently cultivating below 1000. The project is coming to increase minimum of 500 hectares and possibly beyond.
“Any farmer cultivating two hectares of farm land should be ready to cultivate four or five, because water will be made available through out the year. For the fallow arable land that is not being cultivated, we implore new irrigation farmers to join them and acquire this land legitimately from their owners. The water is there free”he added.
Farouk, however, called on private investors across the Country to come and harness the great potentials of the dams across Kogi State.
The Commissioner, who, during the tour with officials from the Kogi State ministry of agriculture also inspected the dam spill way, and the 250meter embarkment of the dam.
On his part, the Team lead, Engr. Bello Garba of World Bank/Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation Inspection Team on SPIN Project
noted that the project is about 15 kilometer added that, 3.5kilometer has concrete lining and 12.5 kilometer without concrete lining.
“The dam discharges water into the canal by gravity. For it to achieve this purpose, it will need concrete lining. The concrete will flow in that direction in different levels. We only concreted 3.5 kilometer. Definitely, the other side will be silted.
” This side that is concreted is already sloped and the water is coming with gravitational force from the dam and moving to settle at the other end. So, they have to desilt the end. Am not preempting the component of the projects when it comes, but I believe this are some of the areas that would be looked into” he added.
In their separate remarks, some farmers in the community who identified themselves as Olatokunbo Okunlaja and Onilede Opeyemi both identified water distribution as one of the challenges farmers are facing in growing their crops.
“We are also facing dry spell because the Dam could not serve the people farming in some areas.
When water is available, we can farm through out the season. Where we are farming, the canal is not reaching there. The first three Kilometer that is been lined is just a channels to the rest area.The rest that has not been lined are the main area in which we do farm. When there is enough water, we can farm rice thrice or four times per annum.
“We are very delighted to have the presence of government and farmers in this community. We are optimistic to see the commencement of this project to boost food production in Kogi State”.
