HJRBDA to complete 40-year-old abandoned Shagari dam project in Bauchi
The Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA) has taken decisive steps to resume construction of a major dam project located in the Kafin Zaki area of Bauchi State, which
- By Fanen Ihyongo, Kano
The Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA) has taken decisive steps to resume construction of a major dam project located in the Kafin Zaki area of Bauchi State, which has been abandoned for 40 years.
The agency's managing director, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, made this known during his visit to the site.
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The project, conceived and initiated by the late President Shehu Shagari, intends to impound about 4 billion cubic metres of water and irrigate over 5,800 hectares of land.
It was also intended to provide food security, cultivate enough crops for the country, and support exports.
"The dam was also to generate employment for our people that would ultimately provide food security.
"The project started way back in the 1980s. However, despite its strategic importance, work on the dam was halted shortly after it began, leaving the project in limbo for decades," Bichi said.
The renewed effort follows a directive from the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, who urged the Authority to revive the long-abandoned project.
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The governor made this call during an early visit by the management of the agency, where he immediately constituted a high-powered committee comprising representatives from the state government and the River Basin Authority to facilitate the project’s resumption.
In a significant move, the managing director personally visited the project site to assess the current situation and officially inaugurated the reconstruction process, signalling the government’s renewed commitment to completing the dam
Findings revealed that at the inception of the project four decades ago, compensation had already been paid to all affected farmers and landowners within the project area.
However, due to the prolonged abandonment, many people gradually returned to the site, resuming farming activities and engaging in land transactions.
Over time, settlements, markets, and other forms of development sprang up in the area, leading to complex ownership and occupancy issues.
With the government now reclaiming the land for the dam project, efforts are underway to relocate residents and provide alternative settlements for those affected. Officials say the process will be handled with care to minimise disruptions and ensure fairness.
Members of the committee set up by the governor, who addressed stakeholders during a visit to the site, emphasised the economic and environmental significance of the dam, noting that its completion would boost irrigation, enhance water supply, and support agricultural development across the region.
