Residents urge FG to expedite completion of Gobbiya dam project

Residents of Gobbiya under the auspices of Gobbiya Development Association in Boggoro local government of Bauchi State have tasked federal government on completion of Gobbiya dam project which commenced since 2016.

Chairman of Gobbiya Development Association, Bulus D. Gobbiya who made the call when he paid a courtesy call on the Managing Director, Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority (UBRBDA), in Yola, commended the contractor for a job well done.

He noted that the community was earlier misled into believing that the contractor was paid but refused to compensate locals who were displaced by the project noting that after thorough investigation, they found out that he was not paid.

Gobbiya also expressed gratitude to former speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara who was the brain behind the project and member representing Bogoro state constituency Musa Wakili Makwada for his concerns and follow ups.

Also representative of Hydro Source and Resources Ltd, the company handling the dam project, Maiwada Bawa, told the MD that his company had kept faith with the job as such it executed 85 percent of the dam contract and 80 percent of the access road even though only 40 percent payment was made.

“At a point in time we have to stop the job because a management staff of this authority fed the people with lies that we have been given funds but refused to make compensation.

“Because of the threats, we have to stop the work but since the people are now well informed that we are actually funding the contract from our resources, there is now good understanding between the community and the company. We shall effect compensation immediately payment is done,” he said.

Responding, the Managing Director,  Abubakar Halilu Muazu, thanked the community for their show of maturity, saying that change in the scope of the  project was responsible for delay in payment.