The tasks ahead the Managing Director of the Cross River Basin Development Authority Engr. Bassey Nkposong are enormous knowing that the Cross River Basin Development Authority was established in 1976.
Like its counterpart in the country, the Cross River Basin Development Authority is saddled with the responsibility of developing the water resources of the catchment for multipurpose use through the construction of Dams, Irrigation schemes, Boreholes, Control of Flood and Erosion as well as the provision of consultancy services.
The Management under the leadership of Engr. Bassey Nkposong commissioned studies and designs of more than ten thousand hectares of land for irrigation and drainage development.
The center pivot schemes located at the Ogoja and Oniong Nung Ndem projects have been reactivated and are presently in use.
The Bansara Rice Mill in Ijegu Yala which is a collaborative private partnership project was abandoned over twenty years ago.
The Onimakiong Farm settlement project located along the Calabar Itu Road axis at Okoyong Usang Abasi, another private partnership project is now a reference point for farmers, business men and women as well as a research hub for students.
The drip irrigation system which is presently operational in Obudu, Ijegu Yala and the headquarters farm is the first of its kind in the catchment.
Crops like plantain, maize, water melon, garden eggs and assorted vegetables are presently cultivated in the farms.
A fully integrated farming system with green houses, for the production of assorted crops, drip irrigation system, fisheries and a three thousand six hundred capacity poultry farm has also been established and functional at the headquarters farm in Calabar and Akim Akim farms in Odukpani LGA.
The Obudu Dam which was constructed in-house by direct labor is presently used to irrigate over twenty hectares of land within and outside the Obudu metropolis.
the Dam has been up scaled with improved storage capacity from 4.5MCM to 5.25MCM with water treatment and distribution plant installed and is currently producing portable water for the Obudu Local Government and its environs.
Also read: Improving local agriculture for increased food production in Akwa Ibom state
Between 2017 to date the Authority has carried out construction of over 40km of drainage at various flood and erosion control sites in the catchment to check flood and erosion
The recent End SARS protest which struck the nation as a whirlwind, did not spare the Cross River Basin Development Authority.
Also read: Governor Emmanuel seeks collaboration for speedy development of Niger Delta region
The water factory, workshops, car park, stores, guest house, poultry and fish farms were completely destroyed.
Given the above scenario, the task before Engr. It is our belief that his experiences in the last four years would serve as a catalyst to propel a turnaround for the Authority.
It is hoped that the series of projects that he initiated in his first tenure like the construction of the Ijegu Yala Dam, Kwa falls Dam, library, soil lab, staff canteen as well as the numerous irrigation projects spread across the catchment would be commissioned and sustained before the end of his second term in office.
