The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, on Tuesday said President Goodluck Jonathan had ordered all ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government to resuscitate and complete abandoned projects that were economically viable.
Ochekpe, who stated this while inaugurating the Erusu/Arigidi Dam project in Akoko Northwest Local Government Area of Ondo State, added that a framework for public sector participation in government projects, especially water, was being developed.
She explained that the introduction of Public-Private Partnership arrangement by the government “was in recognition of the fact that funding challenges from budgetary provision to fund the development of critical infrastructure like water was very crucial.”
“Sixty-five projects have been identified and currently being packaged with the assistance of the Infrastructural Concession Regulatory Commission and the Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility for public sector engagement,” she said.
The minister noted that the Erusu/Arigidi Dam project, which cost the Federal Government N159m, had reservoir of 1.29 million cubic metres to be used for water supply, irrigation and fishery development.
Ochekpe, therefore, advised communities around the project to take advantage of the facility by improving on their livelihoods in the areas of health, agricultural activities, industrial development, recreational activities, fishery and hydro power generation.
The minister inspected other ongoing and completed projects by her ministry in the state with a view to ensuring their quick completion and inauguration.
Ochekpe solicited the state government’s partnership with her ministry in the completion of the Owena Dam project and to ensure that the components of the transformation agenda of the Federal Government were achieved for the benefit of the people of the state.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko restated the commitment of the Ondo State Government to working with the Federal Government to boost water supply for local consumption and irrigation purposes across the state.