Graduate Farmers Scheme revives Omi dam 33 years after construction

Over 33 years after its construction and gross underutilisation, the Omi dam in Kogi State will now come alive with commercial activities, as the Federal Government intends to use its Graduate Farmers Scheme to make that happen.

This was the view expressed Thursday by Suleiman Adamu, the  minister of water resources, while flagging off the first Graduates Youths Empowerment Scheme at Omi community of Yagba West in Kogi State.
According to statement issued by Margaret Umoh, director, information and public relations, the minister explained that the dam will be used for water supply, fish farming and irrigation agriculture under the scheme.

Adamu said that the Federal Government dam located at Omi is underutilised and called on the Kogi State Government to tap into the ongoing Graduate Farmers Scheme and sustain it with the view to creating jobs for the teaming unemployed graduates and guaranteeing food sufficiency.

According to the minister, the Federal Government has provided the bulk raw water and land needed for business and called on the State Government to tap into the enormous potentials of the dam.
The Omi dam which was constructed by the Federal Government in the 70s is primarily to serve the community and its environs as source of wealth creation, water supply and irrigation.

Earlier, Yahaya Bello, Kogi State governor, represented by the deputy, Simon Achuba, stated that there can be no meaningful development or empowerment in food production without water.
He reiterated that to be all season farmers, efforts must be made to develop irrigation system to support all round season farming.

He stressed the need for collaboration in achieving national food security and employment generation particularly as the country was trying to diversify from over reliance on oil.

The governor called the Federal Government’s attention to the alarming rate of the water level in the state adding that the water level has increased to 6.5 millimeter saying it portends danger for a repeat of the 2012 flooding experienced in the state if measures are not taken urgently by the National Emergency Management Agency.