The federal government recently took over the uncompleted Farin-Ruwa dam owned by the Nasarawa State government.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal ministry of Water Resources, Dr. Musa Ibrahim, disclosed this in Abuja during a meeting with delegation of the Nasarawa state government led by the state Commissioner of Water Resources and Rural Development, Ortan Gabriel Akaaka.

It was gathered that the meeting was held preparatory to the takeover of the dam, located in Wamba Local Government Area in the Northern part of the state.

The permanent secretary further said, the planned takeover was informed by the present administration’s decision to complete all on-going and abandoned projects in the water sector.

He said in preparation for the takeover, the dam was listed as federal ministry of water resources’ project and has been captured in this year’s budget.

Dr. Musa urged the technical teams of both the federal ministry of water resources and that of Nasarawa state ministry of water resources critically look at the project status, level of completion and the possibility of incorporating other components like irrigation, water supply and hydro-power generation to it before signing the directive of Understanding that will lead to the final takeover of the dam from the state.

Nasarawa State Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Ortan Gabriel Akaaka, said the dam project, which was started in 2001, reached 60 percent completion as at 2007.

He said the present administration in the state was determined to complete all the on-going and abandoned projects in the state and the dam is one of them.

The commissioner said because of paucity of funds, the state was looking forward for the intervention of the federal government in completing the project.

He said ‘’We are thankful to the FG for the proposed takeover and completion of this project. It is our concern that we give all the necessary cooperation for the completion of this laudable project,’’