Inside story of Adamawa’s abandoned N5bn irrigation project – … farmers cry out for help

Chouchi Irrigation Project was one of the projects handed over by the defunct Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF) to the Obasanjo administration. It could be recalled that Impresit Bakolori won the N5bn Irrigation contract from the beginning. The project was to be completed within the stipulated 24 dry months, barely three to four years. The […]

Chouchi Irrigation Project was one of the projects handed over by the defunct Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF) to the Obasanjo administration. It could be recalled that Impresit Bakolori won the N5bn Irrigation contract from the beginning. The project was to be completed within the stipulated 24 dry months, barely three to four years.

The project when completed is expected to, not only boost food production, but contain the problem of flooding and erosion in parts of Yola town.

However, as observed by the local farmers, evidently, after 13 years, there is likelihood that the project may take another 15 years to be completed with the slow pace in which the work is moving. It is this situation that spurred the farmers to call on government to, urgently, intervene.

The work is to take off from Kwanan –Kuka where the site is situated, to terminate in a settlement and farmlands submerged in the construction site of the Chouchi Irrigation Project.

Irrigation farming is changing the livelihood of farmers in the area already. Located along Jimeta road, Chouchi river is easily accessible. Hills and streams surround the community, giving it a good climate, suitable for irrigation and livestock farming. Because of this potential, the people of Yola and its environs have over the years been involved in growing maize, onions and tomatoes during all seasons using traditional methods and tools. For decades, the vegetable market in Chouchi has attracted people from within and outside the area; they come to buy vegetables in large quantities for distribution to the other parts of the state.

Before the beginning of irrigation farming, farmers in Yola were mainly subsistent farmers, and barely had enough food or income for their needs. The location of Chouchi and its contributions to agriculture attracted many farmers, who engage in building the capacity of farmers in irrigation farming. Unlike seasonal farming that depends on rainfall, irrigation farming uses various sources of water such as wells, boreholes and nearby streams, using a pump and long hose pipes or watering cans to water the soil and crops.

With full hopes that the project will be realized, already the state government through the State Ministry of Agriculture had since been engaged in training of farmers on how to make and use organic manure, provided for them with fertilizer at subsidized prices with improved capacity and skills, waiting for the completion of the project.

This group of farmers have access to improved varieties of seedlings, and share ideas on farming and irrigation. Some of them have dug boreholes, and purchased water pumps to enhance their work. Small scale farmers also attend their workshops and participate in radio discussion programs on agriculture.

From this little ray of hope, farmers have now diversified their agricultural activities and sources of income, growing lettuce, cabbage, onions and maize in addition to their rainy season farming, unfortunately their hopes are beginning to turn to illusion.

A cross section of farmers who spoke on the 13 year old project urged federal government to do something about it in view of its viability in boosting food production and eradication of poverty.

Auwal Abubakar and Musa Buba said as farmers along the Chouchi, river they were greatly disturbed with the suspension of work on the project expected to be completed this December.

“The present level of work at the project site and the fact that work has stopped is a pointer that the date line of December is no longer realistic”, Auwal lamented.

‘’Indeed, when the Federal government initiated the programme, we were all jubilating that we will soon find a boost in farming, but unfortunately for over 10 years, the project is still at the infancy stage,’’ said Malam Umaru Muhammad the spokesperson of the farmers.

Similarly, the farmers regret that the project has been turned into a gamble, because they were informed by unconfirmed sources that there were reviews of the initial contract sum. Hence they called on the state lawmakers, traditional rulers in the state as well as Senators representing them to evolve ways towards actualizing the project.

When contacted on the project, the chief resident engineer, Mr Tony Ologbosere said only officials of Impresit Bakolori limited, the company handling the project could say what was affecting work on the project.

According to Ologbosere, the project was not facing any financial problem as even this year, money was released by the federal government but the contractor could not claim the money as it could not present certificate for job done to claim the money which had to be returned to the ministry.

Ologbosere explained that the slow pace of work has affected many structures already put in place making the already achieved 67 per cent record of completion to fall down to about 50 per cent.

Efforts to get officials of Impresit Company to comment on the matter did not yield result as none of the staff were willing to talk.