Nigeria has accessed the $67 million World Bank loan for the rehabilitation of Hadejia Velley Dam in Jigawa state.

Senator Ubale Shittu, Chairman, Senate Committee on Water Resources, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse that $60 million would be used to rehabilitate and expand the dam by 1,000 hectares.

He said that the remaining $7million dollars would be spent on dredging of the river from Tiga Dam in Kano State to Koli in Kirikasama Local Government Area of Jigawa.

According to him, the contract for the project would be awarded next month while work is expected to commence by the end of first quarter.

Shittu, representing Jigawa North-East, said that the project would boost irrigation, water supply and fish farming in the area, when completed.

The Senator said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration inherited N88 billion liabilities on ongoing dam projects across the country.

He said that the liabilities were indicated in the audit report of the Ministry of Water Resources made available to his committee.

He said that the projects, at various stages of completion, were awarded by previous administrations.

According to him, 25 per cent of such ongoing projects had been injected into 2017 budget presented to the National Assembly.

The Chairman emphasised the present administration’s commitment to the development of dams across the country to boost agriculture. (NAN)