The Federal Government has approved the resuscitation of two dams in Kwara state, including the Tada-Shonga irrigation dam. This was made known by the Minister of Water Resources, Chief Obadiah Ando, during a courtesy call on Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Executive Governor of Kwara State. He stated that President Goodluck Jonathan was particularly concerned about the occurence of water borne diseases in the country,and he appealed to the state government to join hands with the president to reduce the incidence of such diseases to the barest minimum.
Speaking further he revealed that the federal government had sunk 371 boreholes and provided 23 hand pumps in the state, before it discontinued the sinking of boreholes.He however stated thatplans were underway to revive the project, as it had been observed that states and local governments could not cope with the provision of water to their people alone.
He decried the poor maintenace culture of maintenance, observing that some boreholes which had previously sunk were not maintained by the benefitting communities. According to him the responsibility of maintaing any new projects will be handed to the benefitting communities.
In his response, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who was represented by his deputy, Chief Joel Afolabi Ogundeji gave the commended the initiative of the Federal Government on water related issues across the three tiers of government. He said the provision of potable water is one of the major challenges facing the state despite the fact that the Asa Dam is capable of serving more than half of the population of the state. He explained that the state upgraded and expanded the Asa Dam in order to reduce the perennial problem of water supply.
Dr. Saraki also called for the completion of Jebba, Malete and Sobi water schemes and the 108 water schemes being handled through the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority (LNRBDA).