The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N40.2 billion for the resuscitation and completion of Kontagora/Auna Dam and Irrigation project in Niger as well as N226 million for pests control along 11 frontline states.
The Ministers of Water Resources and Agriculture, Suleiman Adamu and Audu Ogbeh, respectively, said these were part of the Council’s decisions at its weekly meeting which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The ministers briefed State House correspondents alongside Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, as well as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
Adamu said that the council approved the upward review of the cost of the Kontagora/Auna dam project which was abandoned after reaching 61 per cent completion from N8.9 billion to N40.2 billion.
“As part of our efforts to complete ongoing projects which were hiked over time we presented a memo to the Federal Executive Council towards resuscitating and completing the Kontagora/Auna Dam and Irrigation project in Niger State..
“It had attained 61 percent progress before it was abandoned in 2010. This is the project that was initiated in 1985.”
The minister said the federal government was working towards increasing the land for irrigation by 100,000 hectares to boost agricultural activities across the country.
