House of representatives has adopted a motion calling on the federal Ministry of Water Resources to include the dredging of Watari Dam project in Bagwa Local Government Area of Kano state in the 2026 budget estimate.
The decision followed a debate led by mover of the motion Alhaji Yusuf Ahmad Badau, during the house plenary presided over by Speaker Dr Abbas Tajuddeen.
Alhaji Ahmad Badau, explained that the Watari Dam is a Multipurpose Water pam located in Bagwai Local Government Area constructed to improve flood control, irrigation farming, and potable water to the entire Kano North Senatorial zone.
He noted that the Watari Dam project stands as the third largest dam with storage capacity of over 10 million liters of water and irrigates 2600 hectares of land with 60% of the land presently cultivated.
Mover of the motion maintained that the Dam project which was completed since 1980, it has not been dredged, thereby causing visible signs of overwhelming sand and soil fill-ups, posing threat to the facility and the surrounding areas.
The Speaker emphasized that without government intervention to dredge the dam, the project will collapse causing danger to the existence and economic value of communities Bagwai, Bichi, Shanono, Dawakin Tofa, Fagge and Dala Local Government Areas in the Kano Central Senatorial Zone.
Most of the lawmakers contributed during a debate described the motion as timely considering its positive impact in Agricultural production, job creation and economic development.
After the debate the house mandated its Committee on Water Resources and legislative compliance to ascertain the current state of the Dam and come up with modalities to ensure the dredging of the dam within the shortest possible time and report back in four weeks time.
COV /TSIBIRI
