Ayamelum Farmers, Residents Jubilate as ATASP-1 Successfully Revives LAIP Pumping Station, Irrigation Canals after Three (3) Decades of Abandonement

By Olisemeka Obeche

Massive jubilation erupted at Ifite-Ogwari in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State, last Saturday (May 10, 2025), following the successful test-run of the Lower Anambra Irrigation Project, LAIP water Pumping station, setting the stage for resumption of dry season farming in the area.

The Pumping Station and the Hydraulic Structures which had been moribund since early 1990s were refurbished and rehabilitated in line with agrarian policy thrust of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Food Security.

The Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase One, ATASP-1; which is the implementing Agency, is a federal government intervention program conceived by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security with funding from African Development Bank (AfDB) with an overall objective of enhancing Food sufficiency in Nigeria.

Messrs RAYCON Nigeria Ltd and EBARA Corporation, Japan were the Contractors and technical partners that respectively delivered the rehabilitation of the LAIP Pumpimg Station.

The rehabilitation of the Pumping Station which involved the replacement of the old obsolete five (5) gigantic pumps, Concrete lining of primary and secondary canals, rehabilitation of hydraulic structures etc were successfully completed on Friday, May 9, 2025.

The ecstasy and thrills of the Farmers and inhabitants of the area that gathered at the base of the Pumping Station was therefore electrifying when on Saturday, May 10, 2025, water was delivered through the 40.1km length of the newly rehabilitated irrigation canals during an epoch-making final test-run.

According to the Contractors, RAYCON, the installed pumping delivery capacity of each of the five (5) pumps per hour is 4,500m3 -6,800m3. Many young citizens of this area that gathered had not witnessed the delivery of water in this long stretch of 40.1 km irrigation canals since they were born and this development further spiraled wild jubilation and gratitude to triumvirate bodies that made this a reality; the Federal Government of Nigeria, ATASP-1 and African Development Bank.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of Rice Farmers Stakeholders Association in Ayamelum, Mr. Cletus Obiora, who led other farmers during the inspection tour of the pumping station at Ifite-Ogwari during test-run, showered immeasurable gratitude to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Senator Ahmed Tinubu, the Hon Minister of Agriculture & Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, the National Program Coordinator, ATASP-1. Dr, I.M. Arabi and African Development Bank (AfDB) for making their dream of dry season rice farming a reality through the rehabilitation of the Pumping Station.

Mr. Emeka Mmadubuko, a Rice farmer and Chairman of ATASP-1 Innovation Platform, Ifite-Ogwari, also shared his joy. “I’m very happy that this pumping station has finally resumed operation. God will bless ATASP-1. Infact, they have made life easy for us. I’m hoping that I will be cultivating rice up to four times a year.

Mrs. Mmachie Philomina, rice farmer and marketer from Omor also shared her excitement: “I’m so happy that our farmers now have the opportunity to continue cropping throughout the year without depending on rainfall. We can even plant up to four times in a year with the resumption of water supply through this irrigation.

Mr. Clelement Ekwozo, a rice farmer from Ifite-Ogwari added: “My heart is filled with joy that this pumping station has resumed operation after being abandoned for more than 20 years, under ATASP-1. The implication of this development is that farmers in Ayamelum will be cultivating twice or more yearly because of steady water supply through the irrigation system built by ATASP-1.

“This development will lead to increased food supply in the state and across Nigeria as well as export”, he adds.

Mr. Michael Eduno, a rice farmer from Umumbo, said: “With what we have witnessed today, the supply of water to the canal through the pumping station, dry season farming has been resurrected in Ayamelum and we are grateful to ATASP-1 for that.

Meanwhile, the farmers expressed reservation over the huge cost of running the pumping machine on diesel, as they appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to urgently provide 5,000KVA stepdown transformer and connect the Lower Anambra Irrigation Project, LAIP’s pumping station to the National grid.

Mr. Cletus Obiora observed that the multi billion naira Irrigation project may not be sustainable, unless the state government fulfill its own part of the agreement of providing a step down transformer to the station.

“In as much as we commend the efforts being made by ATASP-1 team to make sure that this project is realized, we are worried about its sustainability. Therefore, we wish to earnestly appeal to the agriculture-loving governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to do good to help the farmers in Ayamelum by providing the transformer which his predecessor promised, because the cost of diesel, if farmers will begin to pay for it, the cost of production will be so higher than normal and it will make food very difficult for the ordinary person.

Mr. Emeka Mmadubuko, added: “We the farmers cannot afford the cost of fueling the big diesel generator that is powering the five machines but with installation of the stepdown transformer, it will be cheaper and sustainable to operate the water pumping station that will supply water to the irrigation canal for dry season rice farming in Aymelum.

When contacted, the Zonal Program Coordinator of ATASP-1 Adani-Omor Zone, Dr. Romanus Egba, expressed confidence that Anambra state government will deliver on its mandate.

Egba who commended farmers and other stakeholders in Ayamelum for their patience, sacrifices and support to ATASP-1 from time of the irrigation project’s conception to completion, however assured that ATASP-1 management team was already in talk with the state government to pay off the outstanding counterpart funds to the program as well as ensure that the step-down transformer was provided for sustainability of the project.