KTSG releases N500m counterpart fund for World Bank-Assisted water project
Katsina State Government has released N500 million for the World Bank-assisted Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) project, the state Governor, Dikko Radda, has said.
The governor made this known during a high-level meeting with a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, who were in the state to inspect the newly constructed multi-billion naira Dam in Danja.
He said the government was committed to partnering with the Federal Government to ensure the success of the SPIN project.
“Our focus will be on smaller dams and Fadama areas where a significant number of our people engage in irrigation activities,” Radda said.
The governor explained that the government had established an Irrigation Management Authority and assigned some experts to develop an irrigation master plan for the state.
“These initiatives are designed to create a sustainable roadmap for irrigation success in Katsina State, extending beyond the current administration’s tenure,” he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his media aide, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed.
The governor also touched on the recent launch of the state community development programme, aimed at transferring ownership of government infrastructure to communities.
According to him, the innovative approach includes the formation of community-level committees responsible for project initiation, distribution, and protection.
Earlier, Engr. Hauwa Mohamed Saddiq, a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, who led the delegation, explained that SPIN was the second phase of the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project.
She added that SPIN would focus on modernisation of irrigation, dam rehabilitation, and harnessing hydro-power potential for cottage industries.
Also speaking, Dr. Bashir Gambo Saulawa, the Katsina State Commissioner of Water Resources, said the state had fulfilled all requirements to participate in the project, which is scheduled to commence in January 2025.
