THE Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged the Federal Government to prioritise the completion of the Kashimbila Dam in Taraba State, stating that the project holds the key to resolving Nigeria’s persistent electricity problems.
Speaking on Wednesday at the inaugural Taravest Summit in Jalingo, the state capital, the Sultan praised Governor Agbu Kefas for his commitment to improving security and creating an enabling environment for investment.
But the Sultan expressed concern over the slow pace of work on the Kashimbila Dam and stressed the need for immediate and total completion.
“We need that dam ready at 100 per cent. If that project had been completed and was already generating power, many of the challenges we are having with power would have been a thing of the past.
“It has taken successive governments years to address it, but now we must concentrate on completing the whole project. Let it generate power not just for Taraba, but for the entire North-East and the country at large,” the Sultan said.
The monarch also noted that Taraba has become more secure and attractive to investors due to the governor’s pragmatic leadership.
“In the past, the situation in Taraba was not encouraging. But today, we can confidently say someone is doing the right thing. No matter how much you try to attract investors, if there is no security, they will not come.
“I have been discussing with Governor Kefas, and I have seen significant changes. Taraba is more secure than it used to be, and people can now come in peacefully,” he said.
The Sultan added that traditional rulers are solidly behind the administration and its development goals, noting, “We are here as moral and spiritual leaders to give you the support you need. You can hide under us; we assure you of our backing.”
The Taravest Summit, themed “Unlocking Taraba’s Investment Potentials – Advancing Agriculture, Energy, Mining and Industrialisation (AEMI) for Sustainable Growth and Development,” brought together top government officials, private sector leaders, and investors to explore Taraba’s rich resources and development opportunities.
Attendees included Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, business mogul Tony Elumelu, the Ooni of Ife, and Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, among others.
The Kashimbila Dam, officially known as the Kashimbila Hydroelectric Power Station, is located on the Katsina-Ala River in Taraba State.
It was designed to serve multiple purposes, including flood control, electricity generation, water supply, irrigation, and regional economic stimulation.
One of the dam’s primary objectives is to mitigate the risk of flooding from the potential collapse of Lake Nyos in Cameroon. The project features a 40 MW hydroelectric power station intended to supply electricity to southern Taraba and the national grid.
Prominent dams in Nigeria include the Kainji, Jebba, and Shiroro dams in Niger State, as well as the Challawa Gorge and Tiga dams in Kano, and the Ikere Gorge Dam in Oyo State.