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NDIA engineer estimates close to $1B to fix drainage pumps
Kaieteur News – The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) plans to conduct maintenance works on fixed and mobile pumps across three Regions in the country.
One of the NDIAs mobile pumps (Ministry of Agriculture photo)
The engineer attached to the department has so far estimated that the works can cost $877.5 million. In an Invitation For Bids (IFB) published in the Sunday edition of this publication, it was explained that the services are divided into four lots. Lot 1 will address the pumps in Region Three at an estimated $203,805,000. Lot 2 is estimated to cost some $158,929,000 in Region Three while Lot 3 will cover the pumps in Region Four at an estimated cost of 365,585,000. Lot 4 will address the needs of the capital city alone to the tune of 149,220,000.
The bids for the “maintenance and services” of the NDIA pumps will be opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) on September 6. In presenting this year’s Budget to the National Assembly, Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh noted that the government will continue to strengthen the drainage and irrigation network across all Regions. To this end, he announced that $13 billion has been budgeted to upgrade drainage and irrigation systems.
Of this sum, over $1 billion is budgeted to procure 37 new mobile pumps to be installed along the coast, in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six, in areas vulnerable to flooding. The Minister noted that another 100 tractor-driven pumps will be purchased to be utilised in all coastal Regions. “This will be complemented by the construction and rehabilitation of pump stations at Canal No. 1, A-Line sluice WBD, Charity and Cozier, which will benefit over 9,500 acres of coastal farmlands. These interventions, along with the development of drainage improvement in the Mahaica-Mahaicony area, will benefit over 36,300 acres of farmlands,” Dr. Singh explained.
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