Kwara Government lists conditions for fish farmers at Asa Dam Waterworks

Tunde Akanbi, Ilorin

The Kwara State Government has listed some conditions to allow fish farmers within the precincts of the Asa Dam to continue there, with Ministry of Water Resources lamenting the negative effects of their activities on public facilities and water supply to the people of the ilorin metropolis.

In a communique issued at the weekend following a stakeholders’ meeting held with the fish merchants, the Commissioner for Water Resources , Wahab Femi Agbaje (Whyte) said all the fish farmers must stop discharge of their effluent into the dam immediately.

He also directed that 250metre minimum setback stated in the law should be maintained by all the fish farmers operating by the Dam side.

“It has also been agreed that government must now have the data of and certify all the fish farmers operating in Asa-Dam area, while a seminar will be organised for all of them on safety measures by the Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency (KWEPA),” the communique stated.

Effluent treatment machines of affordable cost should be procured for use by the operators, while KWEPA will carry out routine inspections of their activities for public safety.

“It is also recommended that the fish farmers operating around the Dam area should be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture.”

The communique observed that the effect of fish farming operators’ activities along Aliara, Egbejila, Panpo and other areas has reached an alarming stage, adding: The effect of effluent being discharged into Asa Dam lake has great impacts on the water supply facilities in Asa-Dam waterworks, such as GRP I beam that supports the lamina tube sand filtration media equipment, resulting into high wastage.

“The discharge of effluent to the Dam increases the cost of treatment of water and reduces the quantity of treated water supply to the citizenry. This has to be addressed now.”