‘Our plan for the waterfalls’

Since after the discovery of the water falls in the 1950s by a group of colonial engineers who were residing in the then Abuja – the present day Suleja town – there was no any effort by successive administrations to develop the site until recently when the Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State decided […]

Since after the discovery of the water falls in the 1950s by a group of colonial engineers who were residing in the then Abuja – the present day Suleja town – there was no any effort by successive administrations to develop the site until recently when the Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State decided to construct an access road and provide electricity to the area with the aim of attracting investors.
The process of handing over of the tourist site to the indigenous investor that has indicated interest to invest N 1. 7 billion for developing the famous Gurara waterfalls into international tourism site, began early last year.
The then state Commissioner for Tourism and Culture, Mohammed Garba Abubakar said sometime in March last year in Minna that the coming on board of the indigenous investor was owing to the revocation of an earlier agreement entered into with another foreign firm.
According to him, under the new arrangement, the state government was expected to provide social infrastructures – accessible road network, clinic, electricity and water supply to the site.
He said  “I am assuring you that this time around, the state government is partnering with a reputable firm that has track record of delivery”.
He said for state government to deliver  its part on the provision of basic infrastructures, the project for the construction of four kilometers road to the water falls site had been captured in the state initial six billion naira bond road projects. Abubakar said electrification work at the site has since been completed.
According to him, the state government was partnering with the Shelter Suit based on its reputation on property development, saying under the new agreement, Shelter Suits was expected to construct an international conference centre, golf course, chalets, a mini zoo and a mini sports complex at Gurara Waterfalls.
Incumbent Commissioner for Tourism and Culture, Mrs. Susan Adishetu Gana told Travel & Leisure that the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government and Shelter Suits was at the point of conclusion, saying by the next quarter of the year, the investor would commence the development of the site.
She said by the commissioning of four kilometers road and provision of electricity to the site, the basic requirement for the sealing up of the agreement has been provided by the state.
Mrs. Gana who was disturbed by the fall in the volume of water in the falls said  the water reduced to its lowest ebb at present owing to the fact that the month of March is the highest peak of dry season in this part of the country and more significantly the construction of Lower Usuma  Dam at the upper course of the river that feeds the falls in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
She said despite the recession in the water volume to the falls, the state government was not contemplating   building an artificial reservoir for the falls, arguing that the aim of developing the tourist site was for preserving its natural features.
The commissioner further maintained that though the state government would not be directly involved in the development of the site after handing over to the investor, but her Ministry would ensure that all structures would be locally erected but to international standard.
She said before the final handing over of the site is concluded, where the certificate of occupancy of the area would be surrendered by the government, the private investor must have paid all compensation to the original owners of the area and the amount was expected to run to the tune of about N300 million.
According to her, the falls is at present being patronized mostly by picnickers and during Sallah and Christmas periods with most tourists coming from Abuja, which is not more than one hour drive to the site.