Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris said he has set machinery in motion to bring back the long-abandoned famed ArgunguInternational Fishing Festival. Professionals in water engineering have been deployed to design a concept that would allow uninterrupted flow of water to the tributary of the “MatanFada River,” the fishing festival’s venue.
Ahmed Idris said that an embankment built at Gurbin Manu at Garin Dabai in Augie Local Government Area had blocked the regular entry of water into the river in a press release provided to newsmen by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor.
This according to him had led to the shrinking of the MatanFada River and the waterways passing through communities in seven local government areas of the state with a negative impact on agriculture, fishing and domestic chores including human and animal consumption.
This came about as a result of a complaint filed by AlhajiSama'ila Muhammad Mera, the Emir of Argungu, which pushed the governor to act quickly.
He claimed that Idris sent four commissioners, led by the Commissioner for the Environment, Alhaji Musa Muhammad Tungulawa, along with Magajin Garin Kabi and Engineer Aminu Musa, who was the Emir of Argungu's representative, to accompany water engineers to the embankment's location for inspection in order to develop a suitable concept for a long-term solution to the issue.
This is with a view to restoring the free flow of water to the tributary supplying Matan Fada River and Mala River in Argungu which also extends to the Dukku River in Birnin Kebbiand Bunza River direct to the River Niger.
Other Commissioners with the Environment Commissioner were the Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Shehu Mu’azu, Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Bello AbdullahiKaoje as well as Commissioner for Home Affairs and Security, Alhaji Sama’ila Yakubu Augie.
The water source, according to the consultant engineer, was the Goronyo River in Sokoto State, which fed a tributary that supplied Argungu and a number of other towns and villages. However, the water diversion has negatively impacted the way of life for hundreds of homes, farmers, and fishermen.
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