The Senate Thursday directed its Committee on Water Resources to investigate the delay in the execution of Kagara Dam project in Niger State.
The project which earlier was awarded at the sum of N199million was reviewed upwards to N5.5billion after it was taken over by the Federal Government.
The upper chamber also urged the Federal Government to consider the socio-economic importance of the project and see to its completion without further delay.
These resolutions were reached by the Senate following the consideration of a motion sponsored by Senator Sani Musa (Niger East), on the urgent need for completing the dam, a project which commenced 27 years ago.
Musa disclosed that the Kagara dam was first conceived and awarded by the Niger State Government to a Kano State based company, WRECA, in 1992.
The project, according to Senator Musa, was conceptualised to provide potable water and irrigation to Kagara and its environs.
He added that due to the importance of the project, the Federal Government took over its execution and awarded same to Biwater Shellaber (Nig.) Limited in December, 1992 at the cost of N199, 222,596.
The lawmaker lamented that the project suffered neglect because of lack of funding which necessitated its renegotiation in the year 2001 at the cost of N2, 219,746,244.75.
He further disclosed that the Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority, which is the supervising agency, issued a revised estimated cost to complete the project in the year 2010 at N5, 555,416,689.78.
“If this project continues to be operated in a ‘stop and go’ manner, the dream of our people for portable water and economic empowerment through irrigation farming will remain a mirage,” Musa said.