Farmers, fishermen and residents of communities around Kangimi Dam in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, North West Nigeria, have dismissed reports circulating on social media alleging that the dam had collapsed or was at risk of imminent collapse.
The residents spoke on Monday when some investigative journalists visited the dam for an on-the-spot assessment following the reports.
During the fact-finding visit, farmers and fishermen were seen carrying out their normal activities along the riverbank, with residents saying their immediate concern was not the alleged collapse but the deplorable road linking their communities to major towns and markets.
The road from Maraban-Jos to Kangimi Dam, which is about 14 kilometres, is said to be in poor condition, making the transportation of farm produce, fish and other goods difficult and expensive.
A fisherman and farmer living near the dam, Mallam Shamsu Abubakar, said he had seen the reports on social media but was not unduly worried.
Abubakar, who said he had farmed and fished around the dam for many years in both the dry and rainy seasons, described the facility as beneficial to him and other residents.
He said while there had been concerns about leakage, his major concern was the need to dredge the dam to increase its water-storage capacity.
According to him, improved roads would enable farmers and fishermen to transport their produce to major markets more easily and reduce losses and transportation costs.
He recalled that a small crack developed at the dam about eight years ago during the administration of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, but said the problem was repaired and activities around the facility continued normally.
Abubakar added that since reports about the dam began circulating on social media, several government officials had visited the area to inspect the facility.
Similarly, another farmer and resident of Gwauro community, Mallam Jibril Isa, said farmers around the dam had continued to benefit from both dry-season and rainy-season farming.
Isa said the dam had contributed significantly to agricultural and economic activities in the area, stressing that dredging it would increase its capacity to store water for farming.
He said the reports circulating on social media had not disrupted their activities but urged the government to improve the road network and undertake further work on the dam.
A resident of Rugugi-Gwauro community, Mallam Adamu Galadima, said many residents depended on rice, maize, sweet potatoes and other crops for their livelihoods.
He said poor transportation had become a major challenge, with residents sometimes relying on tipper trucks, machines and bicycles to move their farm produce.
Galadima appealed to the Kaduna State Government to rehabilitate the road leading to the dam, saying improved access would facilitate the movement of agricultural products to markets and make it easier for residents to access hospitals, schools and other essential services.
Another resident of Ruhugi-Gwauro, 29-year-old Mallam Usman, said the reports about the dam had not generated much concern among residents because poor roads remained their immediate challenge.
Usman described the nearly 50-year-old dam as beneficial to the surrounding communities and appealed to the government to sustain its support for residents living around the facility.
Kaduna State Govt had earlier dismissed the collapse report.
