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In this piece, MUAZU ELAZEH observes that the Federal government’s seeming neglect of Sabke Dam has continued to cast doubts on its commitment to boost irrigation farming.
All through Nigeria’s history, successive governments at all levels have identified boosting agriculture for sustainable development as part of their development agenda.
Indeed, all governments have at different times hinted of an avowed committment to strengthen agriculture so as to ensure food security and self sufficiency.
It was perhaps in appreciation of this and as a demonstration of the need to support irrigation farming, which is seen largely by many as an integral component of strengthening food security, that successive administrations in Nigeria made dam construction an integral part of agricultural components.
Among the numerous dams so constructed was the Federal government-funded Sabke Dam.
Sabke dam located in Maiadua local government of Katsina State was constructed in 1995.
The idea to construct the dam was originally conceived by the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) which supported its construction in line with the need to further boost the supply of water for domestic use and irrigation farming.
The original concept of Sabke dam was for it to support irrigation and possibly provide water for domestic use.
As a result, the project has three components of dam, pumping station and irrigation area.
Work on the dam which was handled by an expatriate firm, SCC, culminated in its completion in 1995 but years after that, irrigation farming has not commenced on the dam because work on other components of the irrigation area and pumping station have not been completed.
The dam has the capacity for the cultivation of 1500 hectares. But at the moment, less than 15 acres, comprising mostly of areas close to the dam are currently being utilised by Sabke irrigation farmers.
It was gathered that contract for the construction of the pumping station which has for long been abandoned, was awarded to a Chinese contracting firm, CGC.
A recent visit to the dam showed that the pumping station is but a structure in ruin as weeds have taken over the available structure.
Our correspondent who was at the site recently observed that the proposed pumping station which is a few metres away from the power house is in a shambles with most of the buildings having neither doors nor windows just as the roofs have all been either stolen or blown off.
The shrill sound of birds chirping is the only sign of life in the vicinity.
The pumping station, as should be expected, is meant to pump water to a compensation reservoir for onward distribution to various canals so as to boost irrigation farming.
Regrettably, however, it has been abandoned, there by causing a snag in the irrigation component of the project. The pumping station is a wreckage with the structures vandalised.
Findings by LEADERSHIP Sunday revealed that both the main and secondary canals have been built at the irrigation site with a compensation reservoir at Dogon Hawa, a village close to the dam.
Sources, though unconfirmed, hinted that 64 tertiary canals were built with each having a control gate and an operating platform to supply water to various sites for irrigation purposes.
Expectedly, residents of Maiadua local government have continued to appeal for speedy completion of the long abandoned projects which they believe could turn their fortune for the better.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP Sunday, an irrigation farmer, Usman Ahmed, appealed for the completion of work on the pumping station, insisting that “as things stand, the intention of the dam has not been achieved as the dam is grossly being under-utilised.”
Maigari Shuaibu is the leader of Sabke irrigation farmers (Sarkin Manoma). He told our correspondent that over 250 irrigation farmers currently share the little irrigation site near the dam, pointing out that delays in completing the pumping station have adversely affected irrigation farming.
“The state government has indicated its commitment to support irrigation farming but the continued delay in completing work on the irrigation site and presence of insects which continually attack our plants are the major constraints we face at the moment,” he said.
Engr Nasiru Ibrahim is the consultant handling the Sabke dam project.
He told Governor Aminu Bello Masari during an inspection visit to the project site that no less than N4 billion is needed to complete the long abandoned dam.
Ibrahim recalled that the initial contract was awarded at the cost of N420 million, for provision of potable water supply and irrigation farming.
The consultant however, lamented the level of vandalism and theft of important equipment at the dam, saying replacement of such equipment and completion of the project would cost the federal government over N4 billion.
Farmers lamented that an obviously viable project like the Sabke dam, which was designed to provide about 51 million litres of water to 17 communities within Daura emirate with 1,200 hectares of irrigation land, has been left wasting away after a substantial sum of money had been sunk into it.
They counselled that in the face of increasing threats posed by youth unemployment and the overriding desires of our nation to attain sustainable food security, the government cannot afford to see the Sabke Dam project rot away.
The post Katsina: A Case For Completion Of Sabke Dam appeared first on Nigerian News from Leadership News.