Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has called on the World Bank to consider Kwara State as the location for its upcoming power and irrigation farming project.
The governor made this appeal during a Stakeholders Engagement meeting on the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria Projects (SPIN), held at Peace Hotel Conference Hall in Ilorin, the state capital.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Razaq Jida, Governor AbdulRazaq emphasized that establishing the project in Kwara would significantly boost agriculture and improve the living standards of the residents. He highlighted the state’s readiness and capacity to meet the project requirements.
Welcoming the participants, State Commissioner for Water Resources, Usman Lade, underscored that Kwara has an abundance of dams capable of meeting the World Bank’s criteria for the project.
He added that the project would not only enhance food security within the state but also contribute to Nigeria’s broader agricultural goals.
Bello Garba, a representative from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Abuja, outlined the World Bank’s strict criteria for project location. These include the availability of an existing dam, counterpart funding, 500 hectares of land, accurate records of water users associations, and comprehensive study and design plans.
The Managing Director of the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Ilorin, Adeniyi Aremu, assured attendees of his agency’s commitment to collaborating with the state government to ensure the success of the project.
He noted that past collaborations with the World Bank and the state government have been fruitful, and this project would be no exception.
Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Water Resources, Christiana Asonibare, pledged that the state government would take all necessary actions to maximize the benefits of the project for the people of Kwara.
She expressed gratitude to Governor AbdulRazaq for his support and for creating a conducive environment for the project’s potential implementation.
Following the meeting, representatives from the State and Federal Ministry of Water Resources, the World Bank, and the Lower Niger River Basin Authority conducted on-the-spot assessments of Malete, Omu-Aran, and Duku Lade water dams.
The team expressed satisfaction with the dams’ potential for year-round irrigation farming, noting the existing infrastructure, including canals and channels, which make the areas suitable for the project.
The community head of Lade, Haruna Abubakar, welcomed the visiting team to his palace and expressed his gratitude for their interest in the region.