Date: 2020-12-05

The Federal Executive Council yesterday approved a memo which sought the award of contract for the reversed cost for an extension of time of the consultancy services at Tadasungai Irrigation project in Kwara state.

The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, told reporters after the meeting that the council had approved the reversal of the total cost of the main project and got approval to extend the services of the consultant, Messers Tech Consult Consultancy International and associates Ltd for another 12 months.

"It was 24 months plus 12 months extension plus 12 months liability period, making it 36 for a total sum of N200,192,200 inclusive 7.5 percent VAT. These are high priority project along the banks of River Niger and has the potential to improve production in the country especially rice production," he said. He said the council also approved award of contract for a dedicated power line for middle Ogun irrigation project phase one which is in Iseyin in Oyo State. He explained that the irrigation system used to be powered by diesel generators 'but because of deregulation and with diesel it has become so expensive and not sustainable.

"Last week, council approved the contract for the provision of solar power system for Seki irrigation project in Katsina. This is a project that was started in 1998, it was finished and commissioned in 2018/2019, but we've not been able to put the irrigation system to use because it's a diesel power system and it's not sustainable. We've now awarded contract for solar system to power irrigation system and we'll like to see the land being cultivated starting from this dry season."