Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has said the irrigation project in Nigeria is an innovative approach adopted by the Federal Government which has opened-up the access to life changing opportunities for many of the families in the communities that are involved in the project.
Osinbajo made this statement at the weekend while commissioning 14,444 Hectares Kano River Irrigation Scheme, (KRIS) at Zangon Buhari, Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State.
The Vice President further emphasized that the project is one the intervention projects of the present administration which is part of (TRIMMING) Project in Nigeria.
He described the project as one of the success stories of the Federal Government even as he acknowledged the effort of the first governor of Kano State, Audu Bako, who initiated the project over 40 years ago that eventually came to be known as Kano River irrigation Scheme (KRIS).
In his welcome address, Minister of Water Resources Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu, reiterated that the project is “part of the intervention programme embarked upon by the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the World Bank supported by Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMMING) Project to enhance the food production drive of the country”.
He stressed that “in realizing the government’s efforts to address the nation’s food security drive, transformative changes are required which brought about the need for the Transformation of Irrigation Management in Nigeria”.
He urged the beneficiary communities and the government of Kano State to own the project and ensure its sustainability.
“Let me use this opportunity to call on all of us present here, including those that were not able to attend this function that our unflinching support is critical for the success of this scheme, and all the other TRIMMING Project schemes.
“I would like to use this opportunity to request for the kind attention of the Government of Kano State, among the TRIMMING Project beneficiary communities, to kindly take this intervention as their personal endeavour to ensure its critical success”.
The N27 Billion World Bank-assisted Kano River Irrigation Scheme (KRIS) was designed to enhance the productivity of farmers through irrigation of 144,444 hectares for farmers and other one million beneficiaries directly.
In his remarks, the governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, hailed the Federal Government for commissioning the Kano River Irrigation Scheme (KRIS), saying the project has further bolstered the Agriculture potential of the state to an enviable level.
According to him, the Buhari administration has contributed tremendously to the improvement of lives of Kano people being the commercial hub of Nigeria.
The Emir of Rano, Alhaji Kabiru Inuwa,gave his Goodwill message in Hausa and MD, Hadeija Jama’are River Basin Development Authority gave the vote of thanks.
Representatives of the Emir of Kano, Kano State Government Officials and other eminent personalities including some Directors of the Ministry graced the occasion.
The project was executed by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources through the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMMING) Project in collaboration with the World Bank towards the implementation of the TRIMMING.