Dam: Rehabilitation
Nigeria has accessed the $67 million World Bank loan for the rehabilitation of Hadejia Velley Dam in Jigawa state.
Senator Ubale Shittu, Chairman, Senate Committee on Water Resources, told the NAN in in Dutse that $60 million would be used to rehabilitate and expand the dam by 1,000 hectares.
He stated that the remaining $7million dollars would be spent on dredging of the river from Tiga Dam in Kano State to Koli in Kirikasama Local Government Area of Jigawa.
As stated by him, the contract for the project would be awarded next month while work is expected to commence by the end of first quarter.
Shittu, representing Jigawa North-East, stated that the project would boost irrigation, water supply and fish farming in the area, when completed.
The Senator stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration inherited N88 billion liabilities on ongoing dam projects across the country.
He stated that the liabilities were indicated in the audit report of the Ministry of Water Resources made available to his committee.
He stated that the projects, at various stages of completion, were awarded by previous administrations.
As stated by him, 25 per cent of such ongoing projects had been injected into 2017 budget presented to the National Assembly.
The Chairman emphasized the present administration’s commitment to the development of dams across the country to boost agriculture.