Gurara irrigation project: FG yet to take over, 7 years after

That was Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, the Minister of Water Resources, while inspecting the pilot irrigation project two years ago.Located at Azara-Jere in Kagarko Local Government of Kaduna State, the Gurara Irrigation Project is one of the key components’ projects of the Gurara Multipurpose Dam project awarded by the federal government at the initial sum […]

That was Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, the Minister of Water Resources, while inspecting the pilot irrigation project two years ago.
Located at Azara-Jere in Kagarko Local Government of Kaduna State, the Gurara Irrigation Project is one of the key components’ projects of the Gurara Multipurpose Dam project awarded by the federal government at the initial sum of N15.1billion in 2001 to transfer water from Gurara Dam to Lower Usuma Dam to meet water needs of Abuja.
The additional components which are a hydro-power plant and pilot irrigation project raised the initial contract sum to the present N54.3 billion following the approval of the additional sum of N38.5 billion by the federal government in 2007 as a result of these added components.
The agro-irrigation project is designed to accommodate 6,000 hectares of farmland which will house both smallholder and commercial farmers. The project has a potential of 12,000 hectares when fully developed.
Two companies have been contracted to handle the project. SCC Nigeria Limited works on 4,000 hectares, while 2,000 hectares are being developed by Salini Nigeria Limited.
The water distribution system for the project, including 29 kilometers (1,400mm steel) pipeline; 100,000 m3 regulating water reservoir; secondary distribution system; and on-farm distribution system, which covers the 4,000 hectares is handled by SCC Nigeria Limited.
 The Gurara Irrigation Project is designed with five types of irrigation systems:  pressure irrigation, irrigation with fixed sprinklers, drip irrigation, mobile irrigation with sprinkler and pivot irrigation systems.
The 100,000m3 regulating reservoir is however said to be linked to the son of a prominent politician in the country seeking to use it for fishery.
Daily Trust investigation revealed that although the contract has since last year been completed, and test-run, the irrigation farming project has not commenced yet.
This reporter also saw water dropping through some of the pivots. Most of the sprinklers are already rusting.
The inability of government to takeover and allocate the farm to anxious farmers has given vandals the opportunity to vandalise some equipment, including the cables, the tires which allows the pivots to be mobile and the electric motor installed on the pivots.
This has forced the company to remove the sensitive equipment which powers the sprinklers and moves the pivots, as well as engaging the services of individuals to secure the remaining equipment.
An official of SCC Nigeria Ltd, the company that executed the project who spoke with this reporter on the site under the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter said the company has finished work on the 4000 hectares since last year, adding that government is the one reluctant to take over the project.
He said government has again shifted the official take over date to May next year despite the fact that so many farmers have shown interest in working on the site.
The source also told this reporter that a former Head of State has requested for many hectares of land on the site stressing that the Federal Ministry of Water Resources handles all the allocation process.
He however denied knowledge of any purported takeover of the water reservoir by any individual for fish farming purposes, adding, “I don’t think that is true. At the level of the company, we are not aware of that, only the Federal Ministry of Water Resources would be able to tell you better.”
Some of the farmers who spoke with the reporter said they are disappointed over lack of commencement of the irrigation project.
Malam Yakubu Ibrahim who cultivated one hectare during the rain-fed season said that a lot of people are willing to farm at the site but lack of commencement of irrigation activities is discouraging them.
The 52-year-old farmer said all those doing rain-fed farming were doing it under the permission of the community leader, saying, “we are farming here at our own risk. Government can come and ask you to leave anytime. We have waited for too long for this project. Now that the company has finished its work, government is reluctant to do the allocation.”
He said since the company test-run the irrigation last year, with cultivation of maize and soya beans, nothing again has been heard, thereby leaving the area largely under the cover of grasses and herdsmen to graze.
“Many young people are ready to work on this irrigation project,” Stephen Maidawa, another farmer, stressed; “but government is keeping people waiting for too long, and we don’t know the reason.”