By Inusa Ndahi, Maiduguri
THE North East Development Commission (NEDC) has partnered the Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA) in reviving irrigation scheme to boost food security and farmers’ livelihoods.
According to the Authority, the South Chad Irrigation Project (SCIP); has been suspended over the destruction of several irrigation facilities, including the power plant installed in 1979 by the over decade Boko Haram crisis.
The Commission’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Goni Alkali, unveiled the rehabilitation of scheme on Wednesday during a courtesy visit of the CBDA Acting Managing Director, Engr. Mohammed Zannah, in Maiduguri, Borno state.
He said: “the interventions and support required to revive the irrigation scheme by the development authority, comprise 10 megawatts solar power, rehabilitation of Alau Dam water spillways, Jere Bowl, Bulu water channels in Ngala and the distribution of palliative to CBDA staff”.
Alkali, therefore, assured Zannah of the interventions needed to revive SCIP for farmers in Marte, Ngala, Dikwa, Mobbar and Jere Local Government Areas.
He noted that the identified interventions have to be assessed in ascertaining the various levels of damages to the various irrigation facilities in the Lake Chad Basin.
“When you look at the mandate of the NEDC and CBDA, they are crisscrossing, it’s all about development in similar perspectives
“What the Chad basin is doing in terms of engaging in water management, irrigation and so on, it tally with most of the programmes we do or planning to do.” Alkali further stated.
The CBDA boss attributed the destruction of irrigation facilities, including the 45-year power plant to the over a decade Boko Haram insurgency that also claimed lives of farmers and CBDA staff.
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