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Bauchi Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed (Front row centre) in a group photograph with Management of Hadejia-Jama’are River Basin Development Authority at the Government House, Bauchi
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Worried by the complete abandonment of the multi billion naira Kafin Zaki Dam in Bauchi state due to political reasons, Bauchi State Government has advocated for the speedy construction of the Dam which it said is beneficial to many communities across several states in the country up to Chad Republic.
The government also stated that actualizing the Dam will boost economic potentials of the people as well as address incessant flooding affecting communities around the areas.
The advocacy was made by the Bauchi state Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir while receiving the Management of the Hadejia-Jama’are River Basin Development Authority on a courtesy visit at the Government House Bauchi on Tuesday.
Bala Mohammed’s call followed an assurance by the Authority to commence dredging of the Dam in the year 2023 as part of it work plans to promote agricultural activities across the area of its coverage.
The Governor who decried that year in year out, Downstream Communities are being subjected to untold hardship due to the devastating flooding, charged the Authority concerned to as a matter of urgency provide engineering solution to the challenges.
Bala Mohammed also advised the authority to expand its programmes through offering agricultural extension services to enhancing irrigation farming towards achieving Food Security and availability.
While commending the River Basin Authority for its laudable initiatives, the Governor expressed commitment of his administration to complement the efforts by providing all necessary support for the smooth execution of the projects.
Speaking earlier, the Managing Director of the Authority, Ma’amun Da’u Aliyu attributed the delay for the dredging to lingering issues between Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states.
He explained that the Authority has resolved to construct only 80,000 litres capacity Dam in Kafin Zaki as against the earlier proposed 200,000 liters due to the fear of negative tendencies on the complaining states.
According to him, similar gesture will be replicated in Jama’are, Misau, Ningi and Katagum inline with their mandates which is to boost agricultural activities all over the place.
Ma’amun Aliyu therefore called on the state government to construct access roads in the affected areas to ease transportation activities for the benefiting communities.
It will be recalled that the Kafin Zaki dam project was conceived and started by the then Military administration of General Olusegun Obasanjo in the 1970s but has remained abandoned due to political issues introduced by the states along the river course up to Chad republic.
Efforts by successive administrations to revive the project and probably complete it have failed due to the in fighting.
