After 33 years, Kargo Dam brings succour to Jaji residents

But the situation is about to change with the coming of the one million litre capacity Kargo Dam commissioned by Vice President Namadi Sambo recently.
It was observed during the commissioning that a large crowd of residents from the community came to witness the milestone achievement, saying that their struggle of over 33 years finally came to an end.
The Kargo Dam, which was started courtesy of the special intervention from the Ecological Fund was, however, abandoned since 1981 but contract for the rehabilitation was awarded to Messrs. Foundations Years Nig. Ltd on 23rd January, 2014 with a completion period of 12 months.
Also gathered was that apart from restoring regular supply of water to Jaji – one of the nation’s foremost military training institutions, the restoration works has made it possible to extend water supply to Kargo community and its environs.
Other improvements carried out on the aged dam include installation of two new aqua pumping machines, rehabilitation of the water treatment plant, provision of 4.6 kilometre asphalted road that now facilitates interlink access to many adjourning communities, provision of two stone-pitched drainage channels meant to control erosion and prevent land degradation.
Speaking at the commissioning, Vice President Namadi Sambo commended the work done on the plant by the contractors.
“The contractors who handled this job have done well, it is now left for the community to ensure it is adequately sustained so that it will go a long way to addressing the issue of water shortage within and outside the cantonment.
 “This project is a multi-million naira project so it should be adequately utilised and taken care of so that people in the community and its environs will enjoy water supply for a long period of time. I must commend the Commandant, AFCSC, who did not rest on his oars to ensure that the project reaches a logical conclusion,” he said.
 He stated the federal government’s commitment to ensuring that Nigerians have the basic social amenities and commended the contractor for completing the job ahead of schedule.
The Commandant, AFCSC, Air Vice Marshal John Chris Ifemeje said the cantonment had witnessed water scarcity for a long time, adding that the commissioning of the water treatment plant has solved the college’s critical problem.
He thanked the president for his intervention while charging members of staff and the residents of the community to take proper care of the laudable project.
Speaking on behalf of the local community, the District Head of Jaji, Alhaji Danjuma Mustapha Adamu Ibrahim, said they will remain eternally grateful to President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for being the first government that deemed it fit to extend water supply to them even though they have been host to this all-important facility for about 33 years.
“The masses of Jaji community have been faced with water shortage for a long time, in fact, they have had to walk for long distances in search of water for domestic use, that of their livestock and farms. And you know how the saying goes, ‘water is life’.
“The president has indeed restored life back to Jaji community and its environs and we will ensure that the plant is properly taken care of because if it stops functioning, we are the ones that will suffer the consequences. I am pleading with the commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College to please keep some security men to guard the plant.”
The community leader explained that the dam and the water treatment plant will have a great impact on his people who are predominantly farmers, saying: “The new improvement on the dam will greatly enhance their potential for engaging in dry season farming and nurture their animals and farming  especially in the area of onions, water melon, tomatoes and pepper farming.”