A big shame on Katsina State by Abdulkadir Safana

Enough is enough! How can we be allowing such things to happen in our country? One of the largest bodies of water in Nigeria with huge domestic and irrigation potential is lying waste while we throw money at it without seeing any development.

The construction of Zobe Dam in Dutsinma, Katsina state was begun in 1972, but up till today there is not much to show for it. Billions of naira have been spent on contractors to complete this project which was intended to deliver 65,000 cubic meters of potable water to the Katsina metropolis daily.

The dam is a federal urban water project. It was planned to be completed in 1995 but it was abandoned soon after its commissioning in 1983 by the second republic Shehu Shagari administration. There were many complaints by farmers, demanding release of water from the dam. In 2003 former president Obasanjo provided N13 billion naira for the completion of the project. Again the project stopped and the funny part is, every time a new government took over, they had a different idea about the project.

Instead of taking the necessary action to complete the long awaited project, Katsina state government under Ibrahim Shehu Shema in 2009 brought a new plan to step up hydropower station at the unused dam to boost power supply within the state. A huge amount of money was again budgeted for it. From early 2009 to the end of December about 1.3 billion naira had been spent on this project.

Even though they say patience is a virtue, how could this be happening, a project from 1972 that was supposed to be completed in 1995, and is still being funded in 2017 after 45years? Please where are all the huge amounts of money, who are the individuals taking the money, why is this taking so long, and when will this project be finally completed?

What is bothering me more about this issue is that Katsina state has produced two elected presidents between 1999 to 2015. The second one is currently in his second year in office while the first one died in office in his second year from illness. Again The Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources during the two years of late Yar’Adua’s administration is an indigene of Katsina State, the same region where the abandoned project is lying waste.

For me, this project should have been one of their top agenda in office. This is a project that would boost agriculture in the state and also fuel our economic growth as a nation. It would also supply thousands of cubic meters of potable water to metropoli within the state, which would reduce the rate of cholera and typhoid diseases. As we are now, it is doubtful if the dam will be able to pump a single cup of water for consumption any time soon.

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