Patigi, a local government area in Kwara State, is a major agricultural hub not only in the state, but in the North-Central region. Its capacity for food production has been bedevilled by erosion. BIOLA AZEEZ writes on efforts to remedy this situation.
Communities in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State and four other local government areas that make up Kwara North senatorial district have common characteristics that lie in their yearnings for up-to-date infrastructural and agricultural development.
Interestingly, Kwara North, which is made up of rural and agrarian communities, produces major food items such as rice, millet, fish, sorghum and so on. This area can well be described as the food basket of the state to say the least.
The Nigerian Tribune gathered that with the volume of agricultural production in the area, some of the food items are exported to neighbouring countries. At the same time, buyers from neighbouring countries patronise markets in the senatorial district to buy agricultural commodities.
However, it has been discovered that the riverine area of Patigi has been devastated by erosion in the past eight years. This situation has threatened both the infrastructural and agricultural development of the area and its people.
Aside the challenge posed by the erosion, the area is mostly underdeveloped, while residents and indigenes of the rural areas lament lack of potable water, inaccessible water transportation, lack of good roads, provision of electricity, among others.
Kwara State is one of the 10 states of the National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC). Others are Kaduna, Nasarawa, Gombe, Taraba, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Niger, and Kebbi States.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that some of the challenges being faced in the Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State are the unique challenges being faced by the hydroelectric power producing areas. This is what is described as sacrifices made by the communities for the nation’s energy needs.
According to the people of the area, the erosion has been so devastating that building structures in locations along Rifun Road, Patigi are at the verge of being washed away, adding that the situation is getting out of control.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, the chief imam of Patigi, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, said that the community cried out to the Etsu of Patigi, Alhaji Ibrahim Bologi II, who called on N-HYPPADEC for its intervention which the people are now benefitting.
“The work done has brought about succour and pleasure. The erosion had affected our General Hospital, the hospital quarters, and some other buildings. Some with their building structures were forced to be relocated. The erosion had also displaced farmlands,” he said.
Also, the principal of Patigi Secondary School, Ahmed Bologi, and a traditional title holder in the area, Waziri Samari, thanked the state government for its collaboration with N-HYPPADEC on efforts made so far at improving the flood situation.
He, however, called on the authorities concerned to see to the bad road network leading to the local government area.
“For instance, the road leading from Ilorin, Kogi and Niger states to Patigi are not good. We seek government intervention so that our agricultural produce is transported conveniently to where they’re sold. We request the citing of state or federal tertiary institution of education here to make tertiary education accessible to all. What we have is a new private university institution. We also call on government to provide financial assistance and encourage mechanised farming among our people. We can feed the whole of Nigeria with our vast arable land,” he said.
In its efforts to intervene in the issues bedevilling the people, N-HYPPADEC commissioned a N613 million Patigi erosion and flood control dyke project. This is part of the ongoing efforts to combat environmental challenges and improve the lives of the citizens.
Speaking during the inauguration of the project on Thursday, August 8, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Dr George Akume, who was represented by the Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jemila Bio Ibrahim, said that the inauguration of the Patigi General Hospital Erosion and Flood Control Dyke marked a turning point in the fight against the devastation of Patigi community by the dual disasters of floods and erosion.
“N-HYPPADEC has constructed a well-connected drainage system that offers a convenient network for water flow, ultimately emptying into the river. Thus, it lays a solid foundation for the people of Patigi to build upon in terms of town planning and flood prevention. It will also have far-reaching impacts such as protecting critical healthcare infrastructure, ensuring that medical services remain accessible even during extreme weather events as well as safeguarding homes and businesses and providing peace of mind to residents and entrepreneurs alike.
“Moreover, it will create new opportunities for sustainable urban development, allowing Patigi to grow and prosper without compromising its environmental integrity.
“I, therefore, call upon the community leaders and residents of Patigi to ensure adequate landscaping of access ways in emerging areas across the town. I further urge you to deploy communal efforts in building drainages and connecting them with existing ones in emerging residential areas. By working together, we can save our environment from severe degradation and protect our lives and properties from avoidable losses.
“I must, however, state that the true test of this project’s success lies in its maintenance and preservation. We must commit to regular maintenance, strict enforcement of regulations and comprehensive contingency planning. These actions will protect the government’s investment and maximise its benefits for the people of Patigi and its environs.
“This project aligns perfectly with the Renewed Hope agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu. The president has shown exceptional support and commitment to the development of our hydropower producing communities. His support for the Commission has been instrumental in bringing this project to fruition.
In the speech, the Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, said that the project consists of two sections spanning 0.75 kilometres with culverts, adding that the commission also constructed 0.325 kilometres of drains from various locations, designed to salvage the surrounding land by channeling runoff to the river.
He, therefore, called upon local authorities and community members to take ownership of the project, saying that regular maintenance and judicious use of the drainage system are essential to ensuring its longevity and effectiveness.
Meanwhile, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State urged everyone to avoid activities that could compromise the integrity of the infrastructure, such as dumping of refuse into the water ways.
“Together, we can protect our community from the threat of future floods and preserve the legacy of progress that we have worked so hard to achieve,” the governor, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Buge, said.
The governor, who stated that the completion of the erosion project is just the beginning of journey towards a safer and more secure future, added that it is incumbent upon every member of the community to actively participate in the maintenance and upkeep of the infrastructure.
He therefore urged all community leaders and youth organisations to remain vigilant and proactive in ensuring that the project remains effective and operational.
The Etsu of Patigi, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Bologi II, commended the commission for carrying out the intervention aimed at ending the suffering of the people in such areas as building of schools, agricultural intervention, and so on.
“Before now, the General Hospital, Patigi, its quarters, among other areas, were threatened, but we thank God for N-HYPPADEC’s intervention.”
The monarch urged the people to help maintain the project, adding that the government has done its part. He appreciated the government and N-HYPPADEC, saying that, “We’ll continue to ask for more as we look forward to more projects.”
He charged the government through the Minister for Youth Development, Dr Jemila Bio Ibrahim, to provide youth in the area gainful employment.
“You’re holding the Kwara North flag. This is your constituency. Try and do your best possible. Provide gainful employment to youth in order to feel your presence. Everybody has his responsibility. No one should be seen shirking responsibility.”
Meanwhile, the agency also inaugurated a new area office in Patigi to provide conducive environment for optimum performance of its staff.
The managing director of the N-HYPPADEC, who thanked the Etsu Patigi for the support so far, said that the land on which the area office was built was previously a football viewing centre, adding that it “was nothing other than a criminal hideout.”
He said that the engineering department of the commission has visited such areas as Lafiagi among others to see to electricity challenge in the area. He said that it is high time that the community which has been deprived of electricity is provided succour.
“N-HYPPADEC will intervene on the electricity challenge soon”, he said.
He also assured that N-HYPPADEC in collaboration with the state government and in partnership with US and UK development teams, are already working to see to agricultural development and food security issues, considering the potential of the area in terms of agricultural food production.
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