The Emir of Gwandu and Chairman Kebbi State Council of Chiefs, Muhammadu Bashir, has urged the federal government to dredge Goronyo Dam in order to boost dry season farming in the state.

The emir made the appeal in his Eid-el-Fitr message shortly after the completion of the two Rakaat prayers at Eid praying ground in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.

“We are using this opportunity to call on the Federal Government to please dredge Goronyo Dam, impound the Rima River in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

“The dam is helping our farmers here in Kebbi State in increasing agricultural production by controlling the supply of irrigation water to crops.

“It will also protect farms from climatic risk, help generate electricity and reduce the risk of potentially disastrous river floods,” he said.

The emir, represented by Abdullahi Umar, ‘the Wazirin Gwandu’, said the state was lucky to have a healthy population ready to complement the government’s drive to revolutionise agriculture in the state.

“Most of our farmers rely on rainy season farming. With the dredging of the Goronyo dam, which supplies water down to our farmlands in FADAMA and other areas, the dry season farming harvest will be as bumper as the rainy season,” he said.

He commended the federal and state governments for their unrelenting efforts to improve agriculture in the state in particular and in the country at large.

Mr Bashar, who admonished Muslims to imbibe good moral values and properly raise their children, urged his subjects to use the lessons learnt during the Ramadan in their daily lives.

He called on parents to always monitor their children and inculcate good family and societal values in order to maintain peace and unity in the society.

“Parents should always look after their children, discipline among our children should always be our watch word,” he advised.

The royal father also advised the populace, especially the youth, to engage in skill acquisition and reduce dependence on government for jobs.

The emir, who prayed for restoration of peace and unity in the country, enjoined Nigerians to always pray for their leaders to have the wisdom and ability to lead the country to prosperity and progress.

(NAN)