Borrowers Mission: FG Team Hails ATASP-1 over Project Quality, Economic Impacts
By Our Reporter
The 2024 edition of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase one, ATASP-1 Borrowers Mission team has expressed satisfaction with the quality and impacts of economic and social infrastructure projects undertaken under ATASP-1 in Adani-Omor Zone.
The commendation was made when the team visited some project sites executed under ATASP-1 in Adani-Omor Staple Crops Processing Zone recently.
The delegation that visited the sites composed of top officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance led by Dr. Oyebola Akande, and Bukar Musa, Director of Project Coordinating Unit, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, as well as the ATASP-1 National Program Coordinating (NPC) Team led by Dr. Ibrahim Arabi, Adani-Omor Zonal Team led by Dr. Romanus Egba, project consultants and contractors.
Project sites visited in Enugu state includes the Two-Span Obinna Bridge, Canal Lining Project sites inside Ada Rice Irrigation Scheme as well as Community Health Clinic, Asaba, all in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of the state.
At Obinna Bridge, the team also interacted with group of farmers in the area who trouped out to appreciate the impact of ATASP-1 projects, Good Agronomic Practices (GAPs) trainings and other supports in their farming business. The farmers speaking through their leader, Mr. Bernard Idu, expressed their readiness for the commencement of dry season farming in the area.
Dr, Akande, an Assistant Director. African Financial Institutions (ABER Division), International Economic Relations Department of the Federal Ministry of Finance who addressed the farmers, disclosed that the objective of the visit was to ascertain the state of the projects and their impacts on the lives of people.
She assured of the federal government’s commitment towards completing the projects.
At Asaba, the team inspected the newly commissioned health facility as well as showered financial gifts to the first baby successfully delivered at the center. The team also commended the management of the facility for a good job and stressed the need for the state and local government authorities to put in place measures for regular supply of drugs as well as employment of qualified health officials at the center instead of relying on volunteer staff.
In Anambra, the team visited the Lower Anambra Irrigation Project, LAIP’s Pumping Station at Ifite-Ogwari, and after inspection of the facility interacted with the contractor and farmers in the area.
Also visited were the West Main canal lining project sites at Omor, Ayamelum Local Government, Anambra state.
The team, later paid a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Forster Ihejiofor at Awka, Anambra state, outlining the need for the state government to fulfil its counterpart funding commitment to ATASP-1 as well as ensure provision of a 5,000KVA transformer and line to the Ifite-Ogwari pumping station ahead of its completion in March 2024.
The ATASP-1 NPC, Dr. Ibrahim Arabi thanked the commissioner for supporting ATASP-1, also stressed the need for the state government to emulate its Enugu state counterpart that had paid its own counterpart funding to enable the program deliver on its mandate.
The Director, PCU, Bukar Musa, had earlier explained that the mission was to compare what was in the books with what was on ground to ensure there was value for the money that the federal government was borrowing for the projects.
He stressed the need for the participating state governments to complement the efforts of the federal government through counterpart funding.