Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has identified the construction of the Zungur/Bagel Dam as a crucial project that would provide water for Bauchi Local Government and generate power for seven local councils in the state.
Speaking during the commissioning of a 2.5km road project initiated by Senator Shehu Buba Umar in Zaranda Village, Toro Local Government, Dogara praised the senator’s representation, emphasizing that his presence at the event was due to the lawmaker’s commitment to quality governance.
He urged Senator Buba to lobby President Bola Tinubu for the dam’s construction, asserting that the project would be a game-changer for Bauchi South.
Additionally, Dogara reminded the President of the need to commence oil exploration at the Kolmani well, a project inaugurated in November 2022.
Speaking on the dam, Dogara stated: “If Mr. President will approve this project… When I was Speaker, the project was projected at N73 billion to complete, but because of the value of the Naira currently, when we did a redesign and costing, it came to almost N100 billion. I told him (Senator Buba) that if Mr. President would do this project for us, come for commissioning, and kick-start it to a level of completion, by 2027, he would not need to come to Bauchi for a re-election campaign.”
On the oil exploration, he added: “Also, we know that oil has been discovered in Bauchi State. Bauchi will soon join the league of oil-producing states in Nigeria. We want to request two things from the President – once we are done with the Zungur/Bagel Dam, the next thing is the immediate exploration of oil at the Kolmani site.”
Senator Buba also addressed the gathering, assuring his constituents of continued development projects.
He highlighted the timely completion of the road project, which was awarded on October 5, 2024, as part of his constituency initiatives.
He affirmed his dedication to inclusive representation, stating: “We have given scholarships to hundreds of students to study in different universities, while a good number of them have received facilitated admissions.”
He further noted his administration’s support for farmers, youth empowerment programs, and job opportunities.
“We are providing assistance to our farmers. We have carried out numerous empowerment programs for our teeming youth, and others have been given job opportunities in different establishments. We will continue to do our very best.”
