Cross River Basin Authority To Inaugurate 19 Projects

The Cross River Basin and Rural Development Authority is to inaugurate 19 projects in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, Mr Williams Makinde, the Chairman of the authority has said.

Makinde told newsmen in Calabar that the projects were mostly water projects, explaining that 11 of the projects were in Akwa Ibom while eight were in Cross River.

He noted that “the completed 19 projects are ready for inauguration. We have written letters to the authorities to enable us to inaugurate them and we have already made contacts with state and local government officials”.

Some of the projects in Akwa Ibom include the Adadia Urban Water Project, the Obio Ediene Water Project, the Ikot Ekwere Water Project and the Nung Obong Water Project.

The ones in Cross River include the Ibil Water Project, the Ikandangha Mini Water Scheme and the Okuku Mini Water Scheme.

Makinde said that six other water projects would be completed within one year and listed them as the Itu Irrigation Project, the Ibiakpa Water Project, the Ogoja Irrigation Project, the Ibiakpan Water Project, the Akwa Ibom State area office complex and 500 hectares of land.

“These are the projects we are considering so that we can get them inaugurated before the end of this administration,” Makinde said.

The chairman said the mandate of the authority did not only involve direct farming but to prepare land for local communities for all-year farming.

“The authority has made some efforts to prepare land for all-year farming and also made arrangements for irrigation during dry season farming,” the chairman said.

He urged farmers and stakeholders to support the authority in achieving its objectives.