The Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, Mr Bello Goronyo, says the Federal Government will support the cultivation of 500,000 hectares by irrigation farmers nationwide to enhance food security.
Goronyo made this known when he met with officials of Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority, on Thursday in Sokoto.
The minister said President Bola Tinubu was passionate about making food available to citizens and the administration would fully harness the country’s water resources to boost food production, eliminate hunger, create wealth and address unemployment.
According to him, part of the plan is to harness irrigation potentials in various communities and support farmers.
Goronyo said water was an important resources in attaining food sufficiency, and urged the river basin officials to support communities in their areas of responsibility to ensure the success of the President’s agenda on food security.
“We are appealing to the management to consider the irrigation projects as national assets, protect, secure and own it, so it can serve the desired purposes.
“That’s why we are here to inspect different dams and project sites and interact with benefiting communities to ensure that all aspects are in good shape,” the minister added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister inspected the Shagari dam and surrounding irrigation schemes, and expressed dismay at the state of the facilities there.
He directed the management of Sokoto Rima basin to take urgent action to resuscitate the facilities at the irrigation site.
Earlier, Managing Director of the basin, Alhaji Buhari Muhammad, said they supervise dams and irrigation facilities in Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara and Kebbi.
He appealed for more investments in agriculture, including irrigation farming, to provide food for the citizenry and employment.
The minister later went into closed door meeting with workers of the Sokoto Rima river basin authority. By Habibu Harisu,(NAN)
