Fidelia Okafor.

The Plateau 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, Mr David Wuyep, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Jos on Wednesday.

Wuyep said the mining ponds were tested to check for heavy metals and to ensure that water stored in those converted ponds pose no health hazard.

“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.

“The ponds we are converting have been certified fit, and the water that will be reserved in them for the irrigation farming are safe and healthy,” he said.

The commissioner said that the ponds which had heavy metals in them would not be converted to water reservoirs.

Wuyep said that the conversion of the mining pounds would help mitigate erosion in such places.

He said that it would boost food production, farmers would farm all seasons and cut down expenses in acquiring facilities that would enable them pump water from rivers and streams.

He said that the water reservoirs would be ready before the end of 2017.

Source: Agencies