Sustainable Power Supply In Nigeria World Bank Invest Over $500M U.S Dollars In Doma Dam-Nasarawa State, Commissioner For Water Resources
The Nasarawa State Correspondent of Universal Reporters, Rabiu Omaku in this Special Interview with the Nasarawa State Commissioner of Water Resources, Hon Mohammed Agah Muluku.
The Nasarawa State Commissioner for Water Resources, Honorable Muhammed Agah Muluku in an exclusive interview with Universal Reporters, unveiled the plans of Nasarawa State Government to properly utilize one of the largest dams, Doma Dam, with its counterpart, the Bakalori dam. The Doma Dam project was conceived by the then military head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo’s Green Revolution.
Sir, the Doma Dam has been underutilized. What are the plans of the State Government to unlock the potential of the multi-billion naira water project, which was meant to boost irrigation farming, domestic purposes, and supply of electricity?
From today onward to either three to six months Doma Dam will springs surprises to the State, reason been that, We will commence SPIN program at the dam, the SPIN program is a World Bank and Nasarawa- State partnership in the area of agriculture, the World Bank has invested money worth over $500m United States of America dollars while Nasarawa- State Government has lodged into a dedicated account money to the tune of N200m Naira as her counterpart fund for the program.
We have 3000 hectares of land at Doma Dam for irrigation farming,the plans of SPIN which is Sustainable Power In Nigeria targeted 2000 household which will benefits from a one hectares of land each ,and if this done the beneficiaries will also benefit from huge amount of money for farming,under the program one of the choice plant is beniseed which will be planted twice a year.
The last time you said something on water law during one of the ministerial briefing held at Nasarawa Broadcasting Service,Lafia ,Can you please tell the people of Nasarawa State on the new water law ?.
As the Commissioner of Water Resource in the State,We have a new water law in the State,Like us in Nasarawa State,You needs a water law to support your augment with World Bank if you want to enter partnership especially in the area of agriculture.
In addition to what I told you, any State that did not have a water user law is like they are starting afresh. In essence, that State can be regarded as a backward start, or that State can be regarded as having no guide or did not start anything as per water.
The programmes at Doma Dam are two, the one between SPIN and World Bank, and the one between the Federal Government and the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority. (LBRBDA)
With the high cost of diesel in the country, does the Ministry of Water Resources have Any Plan to Introduce the Use of Solar Energy?
Efforts are on the pipeline to switch on to solar energy which is more economical, We have a good plan to reduce cost of fueling of water schemes and the sky would be the limit by the time we switch to solar energy
Do you have any Dysfunctional Water Schemes in the State
Out of the existing water schemes across the thirteen Local Governments I will clarified this, We have a functional water scheme in
1 Awe
2.Keana
3.Lafia
4.Nasarawa Eggon has two one at Lilley and Nasarawa- Eggon Water scheme
5.Toto
6.Nasarawa
7.Doma water scheme
8.Gudi is reticulation.
The water scheme in Obi Local Government is not functional, Our next target was to make it viable.
Honorable Commissioner can you tell the people of Nasarawa State the breakthrough in this area of water supply,
Thank you for that question, we were able to approach the Federal Ministry of Water Resource, we talk to them to come to the State Capital and construct a dam in Lafia as well talk to them to come and complete Farin Ruwa Dam and complete Tilde Dam also,the issue of Farmin Ruwa is a a very important matter because completion of the dam would end the annual flooding been face by Mangar people.
The first step is for us as people convinced the State Governor which we did,we are talking of relocation and settlement of people to a safer place as well to construct road network.
What do you have to say on the over reliance on boreholes in the State ?
The daily drilling of boreholes has adverse effect,It has negative implication to the environment,Presently plans are on the pipeline to construct additional booster stations in Kokona,It was initiated so as to enhance water supply in Keffi.
Our major breakthrough in the water sector was the approval given by the Federal Government to construct a dam in Lafia as well to complete Tilde dam.
Can you tell the people of Nasarawa State some salient achievements made recently maybe to curb issue of vandalism of water installations ?
Before I assumed office as the Commissioner of Water Resource, There are issues of vandalism of pipes and armour cable especially in Nasarawa Eggon Water scheme, my swift intervention we were able to get good results,What I did was the deployment of security agencies to protect our installations.
And maybe lastly,Honorable Commissioner, Doma,Lafia,the State Capital and Nasarawa- Eggon are having cases of vandalism by construction firms, How did you want to addressing the ugly trend of contractors handling projects don’t approach the Ministry of water to remove their pipeline, or move them a bit backwards before the commencement of any project.
