The Kogi State Government and the National Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe, have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration for the rehabilitation and expansion of water infrastructure to improve potable water supply for host communities.
The commitment was made during a strategic meeting between officials of the Ministry of Water Resources, NIOMCO management and other stakeholders held at the NIOMCO Conference Hall, Itakpe, on Tuesday.
Speaking during the visit, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Engineer Yahaya Farouk, said the visit was to formally seek partnership for the utilisation of the Osara Dam and to strengthen collaboration towards providing potable water for the surrounding communities.
Farouk expressed concern over the decline in activities in what was once a vibrant mining environment and expressed optimism that the renewed efforts by the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda would restore the fortunes of NIOMCO and its host communities.
He explained that the visit was aimed at reactivating the regional water supply project initiated between 2020 and 2021 but later suspended.
According to him, all necessary approvals and official correspondences on the project remain valid, noting that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is committed to reviving the Osara Dam and executing the project.
He said the project was conceived to treat and supply potable water to four local government areas in the Central Senatorial District including Adavi, Ogori-Magongo, Okehi and Okene.
The commissioner noted that a consulting firm, GAUFF Consultants Nigeria Limited, had been engaged to carry out detailed studies and engineering designs for the project.
He added that a similar project is being proposed for replication across other senatorial districts, in line with the governor’s commitment to providing potable water for residents of the state.
“It is important to stress that our leader, His Excellency, Governor Ahmed Ododo, remains committed to providing necessary infrastructure for the people. This means all sectors will be positively touched for the benefit of the people. This is simply because this is the contract he signed with the people. This visit, therefore, is significant in many respects. We shall ensure that the water project is revitalised,” Farouk said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Acting Sole Administrator of NIOMCO, Mr I.F. Loto, acknowledged the ministry’s request for water supply to communities surrounding the company, noting that it had been communicated through official correspondence.
Loto said the company was ready to engage constructively with the ministry to achieve the set objectives.
He said the provision of water to neighbouring communities was one of the original objectives behind the establishment of NIOMCO, adding that its water infrastructure was designed not only to support iron ore processing operations but also to provide potable water for workers and surrounding communities.
The administrator said that about 3,000 cubic metres of water had been earmarked for community supply, stressing that the company was presently unable to exceed the approved allocation due to the current capacity of the dam.
He explained that the dam, being an earth dam, had experienced a reduction in storage capacity due to silt accumulation over the years, making desilting and rehabilitation necessary to improve its efficiency and long-term sustainability.
Loto also drew attention to installations observed around the dam, stating that the company was seeking clarification on their origin and purpose to ensure that such developments do not compromise the structural integrity and viability of the facility.
He assured the ministry’s delegation of NIOMCO’s willingness to provide necessary support within the framework of existing approvals and operational capacity.
Stakeholders at the meeting expressed confidence that the renewed collaboration would not only improve access to safe water but also contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of host communities and support the continued revitalisation of NIOMCO’s operations.
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