Lake Chad Basin: Commission completes dredging of 42-km Hadejia River

The Lake Chad Basin Commission says it has completed the 42-kilometre dredging of the Hadejia River in efforts to boost the utilisation of the water resources.

Alhaji Bale Bura, the Country Coordinator of the commission, said this in Hadejia, Jigawa, on Monday when he paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar.

Bura said that the dredging of the river was executed in Guri Local Government Area of the state.

“The dredging also covered the clearance of typha grass from the river to ease the flow of water and control flood,’’ he said.

He identified other projects executed by the commission as the completion of an irrigation scheme, a tree planting scheme and the establishment of fish ponds.

The coordinator said that the projects were executed at Kafin-Hausa, Kirikasamma and Guri Local Government Areas.

Bura said that the projects were executed under the commission’s “Prode Belt’’ Programme, which was designed to encourage agriculture, fisheries and provide means of livelihood to the communities.

READ: VC. urged to complete TETFund projects at stipulated time

He said that the commission was committed to preserving the resources of the Hadejia River, while protecting the environment and improving the well-being of people around the Lake Chad.

Responding, Abubakar commended the commission for the river’s dredging, saying that it would go a long way to protect the lake.

Abubakar, who was represented by Alhaji Usman Abdul-Azeez, advised the people to utilise the services which the commission provided, while engaging in productive activities.

The emir urged the commission to collaborate with the state government in efforts to control the typha grass which had been ravaging the river.