Federal Government said about 500,000 direct jobs would be created through the initiatives of the Ministry of Water Resources in the area of agriculture in the next 15 years.
Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, delivering his keynote address at a symposium organised to commemorate the World Water Day in Abuja, noted that the targeted number is expected to arise from an increase in irrigable land from 70,000 hectares to 500,000 hectares across the country.
Revealing other avenues through which the sector is targeting more job creation, he noted that an additional 20,000 jobs are expected to also arise from fish production; 8,000 jobs from dam construction and management of hydropower, in addition to an excess of 10,000 jobs already in existence through dam constructions, irrigation and water supply infrastructures.
According to him, post-construction activities, fisheries, tourism and other downstream activities have also helped in generating jobs in the water sector.
Adamu said: "The 12 River Basins Development Authority, RBDA, spread across the country are engaged in massive agriculture and irrigation activities. As a result, a cumulative total facilities developed is about 70,000 ha for the cropping of various agricultural products across the country by the RBDAs.
"The benefit derivable from these activities cannot be over emphasised as otherwise idle youths are being engaged in farming activities. It is estimated that so far, that about 45,000 youths are now off the unemployment, idle lines. “The ministry intends to increase irrigable land from 70, 000 ha to 500,000 ha in the next 15 years with all the requisite infrastructure.
It is expected that the effort will yield over 500,000 direct jobs across the nation. "Its utilisation for fish production and farming - both formal and informal - will yield in excess of one million tons of fish per year with attendant job creation to be about 20,000,” he added.
The minister further disclosed that given the importance of mainstreaming gender in the water sector in promoting an inclusive and dynamic development in the country, no fewer than 778 women and girls have been empowered through the Growing Girls and Women in Nigeria, G-WIN project from seven pilot states.
He noted that the project which aims at empowering girls and women in rural and peri-urban areas is currently running in 12 selected states.
Source: National Mirror