The Federal Government is set to develop the tourism potentials of the multipurpose Kashimbila Dam in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba state by setting up a Project Delivery Team of Kashimbila Resort Project.
The Inter-Ministerial committee of the Project Delivery Team is made up of the officials of the Federal Ministries of Water Resources, Niger Delta Affairs, Mines and Steel Development and Tourism Culture and the National Orientation Agency. The Committee is charged with the responsibility of carrying out the feasibility study of the dam in order to explore its tourism potentials.
According to the chairman of the Committee who is also the Director of Dams and Reservoir Operations of the Ministry of Water Resources, Engr. Reginald Ikpeawujo stated that the Kashimbila dam which was started in 2010 and which is to be completed before the end of 2014 has hydropower component of about 40 megawatts, irrigation potentials of about 2000 hectares of land and a capacity to contain 500 million cubic meter of water.
Conducting the team round the Project facilities over the weekend, Engr. Reginald Ikpeawujo stated that because of the multi-purpose nature of the dam, it is ideal for other uses apart from hydropower generation and irrigation. “The dam should be able to combine modern projects and ecotourism which include nature scenery, conferencing and creation”, he explained.
Briefing members of the Committee, the Project Manager of the construction company SCC Nig. Ltd, Engr. Micheal Rolben said that the proposed Kashimbila Resort Project when completed would include, Visitors’ Center for ticketing, exhibition gallery and gallery of arts and crafts. Also, it would have a mini theater attached to the visitors ‘center, an Eco-lodge accommodation system and Ecotourism encompassing natural landmarks ,man -made attractions, fishing/boating, camping, horse riding and bird viewing amongst others.
He added that the dam was constructed to check and control the amount of water that could come from Lake Nyos in Cameroon in case it breaks up.
The Project Manager said that the development of the tourism potentials would boost heavy traffic of tourists in the area. He further explained that for easy transportation to the Resort, an air-strip had been constructed and Takum and Kastina-Ala roads would be rehabilitated.
In her remarks, the Secretary to the Technical Committee of the Project, Dorothy Duruaku said that the entire concept of the dam is huge and would be ideal for tourism. According to her “it is a huge project and because of the date of completion of the dam which is very near, it would not be feasible any longer to make use of the existing facilities in constructing the accommodation component of the Resort. Instead we would only develop an Eco-lodge”, she explained.