Residents living around the Kangimi Dam have appealed to the Kaduna State Government to rehabilitate the road linking the area with Maraban-Jos and other major communities.
The residents said the poor condition of the access road had become a major challenge affecting farming, fishing, transportation and access to essential services.
The appeal was made during an inspection visit to the dam after reports circulated on social media claiming that the facility had collapsed or was at risk of failure.
Community members, including farmers and fishermen, said the immediate concern facing them was not the condition of the dam itself but the nearly 14-kilometre road connecting Maraban-Jos to the facility.
They explained that the bad road had increased transportation costs and made it difficult to move farm produce, fish and other goods to markets.
According to residents, the situation has also affected access to healthcare facilities, schools and other important services.
A farmer and fisherman, Malam Shamsu Abubakar, said he was aware of the social media reports about the dam but had not noticed any sign suggesting that the structure was close to collapse.
Abubakar described the dam as an important resource for surrounding communities, supporting irrigation farming, fishing and agricultural activities throughout the year.
He, however, called on the government to dredge the dam to improve its water storage capacity and ensure it continues to serve residents effectively.
He added that fixing the access road would help farmers and fishermen transport their products more easily while reducing losses caused by delays.
Abubakar recalled that a minor crack was discovered at the dam about eight years ago but said it was repaired, allowing activities around the facility to continue.
Another farmer from Gwauro community, Malam Jibril Isa, said the dam had remained useful to residents, particularly those involved in irrigation farming.
Isa urged authorities to improve the road network and continue interventions aimed at maintaining and expanding the dam’s benefits.
Malam Adamu Galadima of Rugugi-Gwauro community said many households depend on crops such as rice, maize and sweet potatoes for their livelihoods.
He explained that the poor road condition had forced some residents to rely on bicycles, machinery and tipper trucks to transport their agricultural products.
Galadima appealed for urgent road rehabilitation, saying improved infrastructure would strengthen access to markets and essential services.
A 29-year-old resident, Malam Usman, also described the dam as a valuable asset to nearby communities.
He said residents were less concerned about the collapse rumours and more worried about the poor road connecting them to other parts of the state.
Usman appealed for continued government support for communities around the nearly five-decade-old facility.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Government has assured residents that Kangimi Dam has not collapsed and has shown no evidence of active structural failure.
The clarification followed concerns raised after photographs and reports circulated online suggesting that the dam was at risk.
In a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Works and Infrastructure, Alhaji Ashiru Abdu Na Abdu, the government explained that the images were linked to structural issues identified around 2015 and 2016.
The government said those concerns were connected to ageing infrastructure and pressure caused by heavy rainfall, adding that emergency repairs were carried out at the time.
It stated that the facility has continued to undergo monitoring and maintenance, with no current indication of serious structural problems.
The government also disclosed plans to introduce additional safety measures, including automated water-level monitoring systems, warning sirens and telemetry technology.
A joint technical assessment involving the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and Kaduna State Government was scheduled to further evaluate the dam and recommend additional safety measures.
Residents welcomed continued monitoring of the facility but urged authorities to also prioritise the rehabilitation of the access road, which they described as essential to their economic survival.
