Kano state government plans to involve the Bank of Agriculture, BOA, and the African Development Bank, ADB in the development of power and irrigation projects around dams in the state.
The state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Gandjue, who stated this while receiving the Managing Director, Bank of Agriculture, BOA, Professor Danbala Danju in his office, said besides its two big dams at Tiga and Challawa, Kano has 20 smaller dams which could be harnessed for irrigation and power production for economic development.
He said since commercial agriculture is the common practice worldwide, the state would use its vast water and land resources to create wealth for its people and turn the economy of the state around.
In this regard, he stated that the government would explore opportunities provided by the Bank of Agriculture, adding that the government is also making arrangement to release over N800 million, as its contribution to the BOA counterpart fund for agricultural development in the state.
Governor Ganduje also said his administration would soon inaugurate a Stakeholders Coordinating Committee on Tomato production to draft an MOU that would cater for the interests of Dangote Group and local Tomato farmers in the state, in respect of the company’s bid to start Puree production.
Speaking earlier, the Managing Director Bank of Agriculture Professor Danbala Danju said the bank considered Kano very strategic in view of its rich agricultural potentials pointing out that it has so far disbursed N2.5 billion to Agricultural Entrepreneurs from Minjibir, Dambatta, Wudil local government areas, among others.
Professor Danju then called on Governor Ganduje to hasten the remittance of the state’s counterpart fund to the Kano/BOA Agricultural Development Programme to enhance robust agricultural production in the state.
