Thousands of irrigation farmers at Daberam in Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State risk losing their crops if irrigation facility that serves the farmers remain unattended by the authorities concerned.
Nearly 5,000 irrigation farmers at the Daberam rely on the three solar- powered machines to water their crops since 2021 when the dam was rehabilitated by the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
At the moment, only one out of the three solar-powered machines is functional, while the remaining two are faulty and out of use.
Abdullahi Yamadi, who visited the irrigation site recently, discovered that only 1 solar-powered machine is working at the dam site.
The farmers are afraid that should anything technical or otherwise happen to the only solar machine, they stand the risk of losing all their crops.
The other solar machines were damaged by heavy windstorm, which destroyed the panels and other components.
Saidu na’Barda, who works as the solar machine operator, narrated to our reporter how the panels were destroyed, saying, “A windstorm forcefully removed and damaged some of the solar panels. But we were able to recover some of them inside the dam and took them to the engineer for safe keeping. Two of the inverters are also faulty.’’
Danladi Aliyu Daberam, who works as a guard at the irrigation facility, said they had not been paid after their engagement.
“We cannot continue like this. We have never been paid a penny since our engagement almost three years now. Our major problem is that we cannot disengage without handing over these facilities to the authorities. And we cannot tell you which agency is responsible. Some say it is the National Agricultural Land Development agency (NALDA) while others are saying the project was handed over to the state government. We do not know what to do,’’ he said.
The staff employed to operate and guard the machines against thieves and vandals are threatening to abandon the jobs as they have never been paid a dime since their engagement about three years ago.
Efforts to get National Agricultural Land Development Authority to speak on that matter were not successful as the office at the federal secretariat complex in Katsina remained under lock and key when this reporter visited.
Residents are left wondering how the government expended billions of naira here but left without proper security and maintenance arrangements of the equipment installed.
Irrigation farmers and those manning the solar machines were appealing to Governor Dikko Umar Radda to, as a matter of urgency, intervene and rescue them from potential loss of investments.
Shehu Umar, one of the irrigation farmers, entertained the fear that if solar-powered machines is not working, farmers stand to lose most of what they invested so far.
“We are extremely happy with farming activities here. The only thing agitating our minds is the solar-powered machines installed at the dam site, which if care is not taken, something unusual would happen.
“We are appealing to the relevant authorities to repair the other solar machines that were damaged by rainstorm and start paying people manning them to save us from potential loss of our crops.’’
