The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Suleiman Adamu

  • FG tasks states, LG’s on flood challenges

    FG tasks states, LG’s on flood challenges

    The Federal Government has urged States and Local Governments to apply necessary environmental regulations in their areas to guard against recurrence of flood.

    The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

    “Well, let me say that by the nature of our governance structure, each tier of government has its laws. In addition to the federal government, they also have their laws.

    “So I am sure all the states of the federation have environmental laws that guard against what is happening especially issues like erecting buildings on the watercourse.

    “So, I don’t think they need to be reminded of this; they just need to make sure that their agencies are making the necessary surveillance and kind of regulating this development.

    “Number two issues like cleaning of drainages and so; I think this is something that everybody should do not only the government at state or local government level, even the community themselves should be involved.

    “Why do we have environmental sanitation in many states, it is for them to be able to do this and we know that this thing is going to happen and they are the ones directly affected.

    “Why must they wait for the government to come and do this thing for them and what are the local governments doing.

    “But let me also say that the Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) we normally provide is not for show. It is serious government’s business to alert the nation of what is likely to come.

    “And then it is the responsibility of those sub-national governments to take it up from there.

    “We have shared the information with everybody, with all the states. It’s their responsibility to take it down to the local governments. “

    Adamu said that the dredging of Rivers Niger and Benue were part of government’s effort at curbing the menace of flood in the country.

    “We approved such an idea to dredge Rivers Niger and Benue which we have found very useful and we will do a lot to safeguard the banks of the rivers and the communities downstream from excessive flooding,“ the minister said.

  • World Bank spends $495m to revamp irrigation management in Nigeria

    World Bank spends $495m to revamp irrigation management in Nigeria

    Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, on Thursday expressed hope that World Bank-funded 495 million dollars Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) programme will revamp irrigation management in Nigeria.

    Adamu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the seven-year programme was targeted at rehabilitating five irrigation schemes in five Northern states.

    The schemes are Bakolori Irrigation, Zamfara; Middle Rima Valley Irrigation, Sokoto; Kano River Irrigation, Kano; Hadejia Valley Irrigation, Jigawa and Dadin Kowa Irrigation, Gombe.

    According to him, Nigeria cannot rely on rain-fed agriculture if it must meet the food security potential and employment generation target.

    “As the country’s population expanded, deliberate efforts were needed to revamp the River Basins Development Authorities (RBDAs) in Nigeria, because they served as vehicles for socio-economic development in any nation,’’ he said.

    He said that the recent inauguration of the Bakolori irrigation scheme in Talata Marafa was targeted at rehabilitating no fewer than 8,000 hectares and expansion of 5,560 hectares of irrigation works.

    This step, Adamu said, would go a long way to improve irrigation potential, and said that replication of such schemes was in line with the agricultural policy of the Federal Government.

    He said that it was saddening that only 200,000 hectares of irrigated agriculture was being processed as against the potential of 21 million hectares of irrigable land with large percentage in the North.

    “TRIMING is converting the sprinkler component of covering 5,500 hectares and rehabilitation of gravity component covering 8,000 hectares that will provide a potential of no fewer than 13,500 hectares.

    “This will improve large scale public irrigation in Northern Nigeria where it will make a contribution to agricultural production, growth and poverty reduction, especially in rural areas.”

    The minister called on all Nigerians to take to agriculture in full commercial scale, saying that it presently accounted for 40 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

  • FG approves N1.6bn for flood victims in 16 states

    FG approves N1.6bn for flood victims in 16 states

    … Expect more floods – Minister

    The Federal Government has approved the release of N1.6 billion to flood victims in 16 states of the federation.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

    According to him, the fund will be taken from Ecological funds in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    He said the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has been directed to release the N1.6 billion to National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for the 16 affected states.

    He said: “The Acting President has approved the sum of N1.6 billion as immediate intervention for victims of flood in 16 states.

    “The states are Ekiti, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia, Oyo, Lagos, Plateau, Sokoto, Edo and Bayelsa.

    “So, 16 states ravaged by flood and the sum of N1.6billion had been approved for immediate release as relief for people in those states and communities involved.

    “The money is going to be taken from the Federal Government Ecological Fund Account at the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Minister of Finance is to release the fund directly to NEMA, which is, National Emergency Management Agency,’’ he said

    Meanwhile, federal government has warned Nigerians to expect more flooding following the delay in rainfall which had caused long duration of torrential downpour in major urban cities.

    The government also said the monsoon wind which is a strong prevailing wind bringing rain from West Africa coast around June 22 to September and October would bring a lot of rains to the land along with sea rise that could lead to increase in the amount of water in low lying coastal areas of Lagos and other states.

    Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said this in Abuja while briefing journalists on flood situation in the country.

    Adamu said the flood would spread to 30 states and over 100 local government areas in the country.

    He added that the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) would continue to monitor the flow of surface water and issue alerts when necessary.

    He said: “Summary of the alert is that approximately 30 states and over 100 LGAs are categorized as high flood risk areas and therefore should expect flooding.

    “The rains did not start early this year, thereby possibly causing long duration torrential downpour and causing unexpected urban/flash floods in areas with non-existing or inadequate drainage system in the country.

    “The flow of surface water are being monitored by NIHSA while alerts will be issued. Also, sensitization of the entire nation by visiting the grassroots will soon be embarked upon.”

  • ‘Nigeria loses 1.3% of annual GDP to poor sanitation’

    ‘Nigeria loses 1.3% of annual GDP to poor sanitation’

    The National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS) says Nigeria loses 1.3 per cent of its annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to poor sanitation.

    It further said that more losses could be recorded if the situation was not addressed.

    The Chairman of the group, Mr Emmanuel Awe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday that there was need for a national sanitation strategy to help households own safe, durable and cost-effective latrines.

    According to him, the sanitation situation in Nigeria shows the need for deliberate action to reduce preventable diseases.

    He said the National Database on Open Defecation (OD) indicated that no fewer than 13,000 communities had achieved open defecation- free status, a situation, which had led to significant improvement in overall sanitation coverage in Nigeria.

    Awe called for the development of a private sector-led supply chain to lead the drive ‎in creating attitudinal change messages on the benefits of living in a hygienic environment.

    He said with commitment and renewed partnership from all stakeholders, communities would be able to move up the sanitation ladder to break the cycle of disease transmission, thus ensuring healthful lifestyle for Nigerians.

    Awe said health, education, nutrition, social and market activities had been affected by poor sanitation, adding that within the next 15 years, at least 54.6 million people would desist from open defecation.

    The chairman commended the Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, for the inauguration of the Partnerships for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme.

    He said the programme would go a long way toward promoting the well-being of Nigerians.

    Awe urged people living in remote areas to take hygiene seriously in view of the huge role they play in national development and the production of food for the country.

    NAN quotes the Minister as saying that “to achieve ODF, means without exception, all households and institutions have ended the practice of open defecation; they have cleaned their environment, and have constructed basic or modified toilets.”

    Adamu said efforts made in the past to address the situation had yielded minimal results.

    “A critical look at the situation shows that it cannot be business as usual, and that all hands must be on deck in tackling this challenge,’’ he said.

    Nigeria is reported to be a country with 46 million people, who engage in open defecation as more than two-thirds of the population lacks basic sanitation facilities.

  • Commissioner hails FG/WSSCC sanitation, hygiene programme

    The Cross River Government has applauded the Federal Government’s efforts at scaling up sanitation in the state.

    The state’s Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Gabe Odu, lauded the government in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    He said the Federal Government’s Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (RUSHPIN) Programme assisted 366 communities in Obanliku Local Government Area to become open defecation-free.

    NAN reports that the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) is funding the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (RUSHPIN) programme in three local government areas each in Benue and Cross River states.

    “The programme in the three Local Government Areas so far has yielded tremendous success in the state, with Obanliku LGA with 366 communities all becoming open defecation free (ODF), as the first local ODF local government area in the country.

    “Bekwarra also is working hard towards ensuring that all its 230 local communities are cleaned up.

    “Abi LGA is also cleaning up its own communities.

    “The state government appreciates this endeavour, accompanied with its benefits.

    “Cross River government has always been donor-friendly with its commitment of a clean and green environment.

    “The state also has the potential of driving the state to ODF with a crop of trained and experienced staff.”

    Odu said it was the intention of the state government to pay up its counterpart funds, saying this had led to the release of N100 million for the sanitation and hygiene sector in the EU/Water Supply Sanitation Sector Reform programme.

    “Besides, N220 million has been budgeted for sanitation and other water programmes in the 2017 budget,’’ he added.

    He expressed hope that match-up funds would be released to scale up the programmes in more local governments in the state, saying the benefit were obvious as there has been a report of low diseases and infections rate.

    The commissioner commended the Minister of Water Resources, Mr. Suleiman Adamu on the inauguration of the Partnerships for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme, saying this would go a long way to promote wellbeing.

    He said the role hygiene promotion in rural areas play in the overall national development could not be over-emphasised, stressing that they provide food consumed in the city.

     

  • FG approves ‎additional N46.15bn for Kashibilla dam ‎

    FG approves ‎additional N46.15bn for Kashibilla dam ‎

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved additional N46.15 billon for Kashibilla dam.

    The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, disclosed this at the end of the FEC meeting.

    He said: “In line with the water resources road map, the aspect which requires that we complete most of the 116 inherited projects as soon as possible. Today, we got approval for the augmentation of money to finish the flagship project for the ministry, the Kashimbila dam and hydro-power project.

    “I said it is flagship because it is the biggest and most expensive project that we have under the ministry. This is a project that is cited in Taraba State. It was identified by United Nations agency as one of the key projects to provide a buffer against flooding along River Benue. You remember 2012 was quite devastating.

    According to him, the project which was started in 2017 and still ongoing has attained 90 percent completion.

    He added: “The dam was impounded in February. We expect the dam to reach supply level this month or June and it will be ready for commissioning.

    “We have another aspect which is the power plant. It is also ready but we have to wait for the Ministry of Power to complete the transmission line that would evacuate 40 megawatt power from Kashimbila to other parts of Taraba.

    “We also have other supply components of it, the water supply aspects. The project has gone through many reviews but this is the final review.

    “We got an augmentation of N46.15 billion that will be enough. Already, out of this, probably about N24 billion had been spent by the contractor. He has spent more money and done more work than the actual augmentation.”

  • FG decries level of water, irrigation projects decay

    The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu on Monday in Abuja decried the level of decay in water and irrigation projects across the country.

    Adamu told the News Agency of Nigeria that the Federal Government would, however, ensure the completion of the abandoned projects rather than embark on new ones.

    “Honestly, I am very sad. What has emerged from these trips is that our fore fathers, the founding fathers of the Ministry of Water Resources and Agriculture have done a tremendous amount of work for this country, which succeeding generations have allowed to waste and have done little.

    “Not only have they not improved on it, they have allowed the whole thing to deteriorate.

    “A lot of the infrastructure that we visited were built in the 70s and early 80s at that time if you imagine the amount of money that were spent on infrastructure and the kind of support they were providing to people.

    “And you see how desolate we found them, it’s quite appalling, but all is not lost, the infrastructure is there.

    “All we need to do is to change our attitude and to try to see how we can invest more money and accord them the priority that they deserve.

    “Thankfully, this government has identified the need to give priority to agriculture, and therefore, it’s an opportunity to revive them, expand them and rehabilitate them.”

    He said the Federal Government was committed to expanding irrigation farming, adding that its target was to have no less than 500,000 hectares of irrigated agriculture by 2030.

    Adamu, who cited the Kano River Irrigation scheme, said although it may be one of the largest in the country, one third of the irrigation facility was not cultivated in the dry season.

    “This is all because of a simple rehabilitation of the canal for the water to get there. It is not because there is no water, it is simply mismanagement.”

    He said that the World Bank-supported Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) programme would promote food security and all year farming.

    Adamu, however, stressed the need for beneficiaries to take ownership of all water projects towards a sustainable agriculture development, stressing that government alone could not provide and protect such projects.

    He urged beneficiaries of the irrigation schemes to do more and protect the facilities, adding that the era of free services was over.

    “One of the problems is that beneficiaries always think that this is a government thing, so they don’t feel that they have a responsibility to maintain them.”

  • Minister expresses worry over proliferation of boreholes

     

     The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, on Wednesday expressed worry over the increasing rate of indiscriminate drilling of boreholes by quacks in the country.

    Adamu said this at the 53rd Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Society for Mining and Geosciences in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference is entitled: “The Extractive Industry: imperatives for Wealth Creation and Employment Generation”.

    He called on the members to show enough concern, just as he said the society had a lot to do in the water resources sector.

    Adamu said it was time Nigeria sought ways to protect its surface and underground water resources effectively.

    “It is getting out of hand. You find a situation whereby within three meters, households are drilling boreholes; people are not mindful of the interference.

    “We are spending too much money, whereas, we can have maybe a single unit to serve people. I think it’s time we look at this issues.

    “I think it is very important we do not exploit our ground water resources to a point where there will be nothing left for the future generation of this country,” he said.

    The minister said the National Water Resources bill, approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), would soon be forwarded to the National Assembly.

    According to him, the bill consists of a modelling regulation to monitor exploitation of ground water resources.

    He said that the bill when passed, would ensure the setting up of a hydro-drilling industry in the country.

    He said the lack of proper regulation in drilling activities had made it an all comers industry, thereby undermining activities of members of the society.

    However, Prof. Olugbenga Okunlola, President, Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), sought for a collective integration and corporation among governments, industry, academia and technical partners to support geosciences data collection.

    This, Okunlola said, would help in the provision of pre-completion geosciences information to mining companies to support economically viable extraction processes.

    He commended the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari on his emphasis on economic recovery and diversification in the solid mineral sector.

    “This has been practically translated into viable increased funding for the major government institutions,” he said.

  • Aishat Buhari greets Osinbajo’s at 60th

    Aishat Buhari greets Osinbajo’s at 60th

    Members of cabinet on Wednesday wished Acting President Yemi Osinbajo happy 60th birthday anniversary.

    They sang a birthday song for him after the rendition of the National anthem and opening prayers by the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, and Head of Service, Mrs. Ekanem Oyo-Ita.

    As the Acting President was about to take his seat for the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting to begin, the cabinet members remained standing and sang the birthday song.

    After the songs and good wishes, Osinbajo replied with a prayer for the cabinet members.

    He said: “For the young men and women who are below 60, I pray that you will soon be 60. For those who are 60, I pray that you be 120 and above in Jesus name, Amen.”

    Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, in her Twitter handle, also wished Osinbajo happy Birthday.

    She said: “On the occasion of the birthday of Your Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN, Ag. President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I wish to extend my congratulations to you and to state that the years you have spent building your reputation in multiple capacities have today resulted in your ability to carry out your duties in line with the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure that a better Nigeria is realized. Congratulations and Happy Birthday”

    [feature_slider display=”tag” tag=”Osinbajo” count=”8″ caption=”on” nav=”thumbs” animation=”crossfade” easing=”easeInOutCubic” timeout=”1500″ arrows=”on”]

  • Nigeria plans conference on Lake Chad

    The Federal Government has initiated a bilateral engagement through an international conference to discuss modalities for resuscitation of the Lake Chad which is drying up.

    The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, told a delegation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) that visited in Abuja that it was important to draw international attention to the drying up of the lake in order to save 47 million people living around the lake.

    Adamu reiterated the need for the international consideration since 47 million people depend on it (lake) for farming, fishing, livestock production and water supply for drinking and sanitation.

    The planned conference, according to him, will look at ways to draw experts to proffer solutions on how to save the lake.

    He explained that the conference would look into the feasibility study of inter-basin transfer of water from Oubangui River in the Central African Republic.

    Adamu said one of the conference’s major focus would be to emphasise on poverty alleviation of the population who depend on the resources from the Lake Chad Basin, following its reduction to about 468 square kilometre due to effects of climate change.

    He said the federal government, in partnership with the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the POWERCHINA International Group Limited, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to actualise the transfer of water from the Congo Basin to Lake Chad Basin.