Plateau State Government has commenced the conversion of some mining ponds in the state to water reservoirs for irrigation farming.
The Commissioner for Water Resources and Energy, David Wuyep, who disclosed this during an interaction with the News Agency of Nigeria, said the mining ponds were undergoing tests to check for heavy metals and ensure that water stored in those converted ponds pose no health hazard.
According to Wuyep, “to mitigate the effect of the heavy metals which can be found in such ponds, comprehensive analyses have been conducted on these ponds to ensure that they are free from heavy metals which can be carcinogenic”.
He also expressed that ponds converted have been certified fit and the water that will be reserved in them for the irrigation farming are safe and healthy.
Speaking on the benefits of the conversion, the Commissioner affirmed that it would boost food production, as farmers would farm all seasons, while reducing the expenses incurred in procuring facilities to enable farmers pump water from rivers and streams.
He also added that the conversion of the mining pounds would help mitigate erosion in such places.
Wuyep however opined that the reservoirs would be ready before the end of 2017.
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