Water charges are not taxes, HJRBDA tells farmers

The management of Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA) has told farmers and the leadership of Water Users Association (WUA) at the Kano River Irrigation Project (KRIP) office in Kura that water charges are not taxes but payments for essential services rendered by the authority to maintain and improve irrigation infrastructure. Speaking during a […]

The management of Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA) has told farmers and the leadership of Water Users Association (WUA) at the Kano River Irrigation Project (KRIP) office in Kura that water charges are not taxes but payments for essential services rendered by the authority to maintain and improve irrigation infrastructure.

Speaking during a familiarisation tour of major dams and hydroelectric projects under the authority’s jurisdiction, the managing director of HJRBDA, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, said the authority was dedicated to improving water resource management, maintaining critical infrastructure and supporting farmers to boost food security and economic growth in the region.

Bichi also called for continued collaboration between stakeholders to address challenges and harness the full potential of the river basin’s resources in developing a robust agricultural sector that will ensure the Nigerian government’s resolve to attain a sustainable food sufficiency level.

In their responses, the farmers appealed to HJRBDA for tractors and combined harvesters to support the upcoming rainy season and subsequent dry season activities in the area.

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The HJRBDA team visited critical water storage facilities that include Challawa Gorge Dam, with a capacity of 962 million cubic meters, Tiga Dam that has the capacity of 1.968 billion cubic meters, and Ruwan Kanya River with a storage capacity of 50 million cubic meters.

Similarly, during the inspection, the team observed operational challenges, including damaged instrumentation, faulty pipes and other maintenance issues, which require urgent attention to ensure optimal performance.

The managing director and his team also inspected hydroelectric power generation projects initiated by the Kano State Government at both Challawa and Tiga dams, reaffirming HJRBDA’s commitment to supporting sustainable energy and water resource management.