WORKS RESUME AT BIS TALATA MAFARA AS OVER 6,000 FARMERS GOT BETTER FOCUS OF THE WORKS WITH OVER 40 THOUSAND PEOPLE TO DIRECTLY BENEFIT AFTER COMPLETION
The National Project Coordinator of the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) Project, Engineer Peter Yakub Manjuk disclosed that works would unfailingly resume on Monday 10th June 2019 at the Bakalori Irrigation Scheme Talata Mafara, Zamfara state.
Engineer Manjuk stated this during a joint stakeholder consultative meeting held at the Contractor’s Camp recently. He stressed that the aim of the meeting was to strategize towards a successful resumption of works at the site.
It could be recalled that a suspension of works followed an incidence of kidnap of two staff of the Contractor sometimes in July 2018, however, the suspension was lifted around December 2018, unfortunately security arrangements took a long time to be completed after the suspension which led to the vigorous efforts by both the Client and other stakeholders to ensure resumption of the works.
Similarly, the NPC emphatically implored all concerned to put all hands-on deck in ensuring successful resumption and smooth execution of all works without any hinderances. The World Bank according to him has sternly warned that the stakeholders should not allow the works at BIS to be lost due to its significance in the lives of over forty thousand direct beneficiaries as well as over hundred of thousands of indirect beneficiaries.
The representative of the Managing Director/Chief Executive of Sokoto River Basin, who is also the TRIMING Project Basin Level Coordinator in Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority, Engineer Abdullahi Danmagaji commended the tireless efforts of the NPC and his team adding that the River Basin on its side has complimented their efforts in carrying out a number of stakeholder engagements which were very important to the success of the Project. Engineer Danmagaji expressed hope in the present administration in Zamfara state under Governor Bello Matawalle in the commitments and interest of the Governor especially on Bakalori Irrigation Scheme.
For a successful resumption and in order to have a clearer view of the various sectors of concern in the scheme, a joint committee of inspection was constituted to survey the areas before Monday.
The security arrangements include a very large chunk of different security agents fully armed with sophisticated weapons to ensure fortified security of both personnel and equipment on 24hour basis to ensure the work is achieved. The various security agents assured that they would work assiduously to provide adequate security cover throughout the works.
