A technical committee established by the Federal Government is preparing a detailed report on the integrity and future viability of Alau Dam in Borno State and other critical dams across Nigeria.
According to The PUNCH, findings will be presented to President Bola Tinubu in December, according to statements from the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev.
The committee’s report will provide recommendations, including designs for the reconstruction of the 38-year-old Alau Dam, following its recent failure, which led to severe flooding in Maiduguri. “In the next month, that report will be ready,” Utsev confirmed in an interview on Sunday.
The initiative, driven by the 17th Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja on September 23, 2024, emerged from in-depth discussions on the recurrent flooding issue, with a focus on the recent floods that impacted Maiduguri.
At that meeting, the council approved the formation of a committee to assess dams nationwide, determining measures to curb future flooding and enhance the safety and utility of the country’s dams.
Prof. Utsev elaborated on the committee’s mandate, stating, “Today, the Federal Executive Council has constituted the committee to examine not only the Alau Dam but also other dams in the country, reassess them and make recommendations that will solve the challenge of flooding and also make use of the available dams.”
While no specific budget or timeframe was disclosed for the project’s completion, the urgency of the mission was underscored by the scope of recent flood damage.
Earlier in October, significant portions of Maiduguri faced extensive flooding after degraded sections of the Alau Dam succumbed to heavy rainfall, submerging vital city sites such as the palace of the Shehu of Borno, the state secretariat, and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
More than 23,000 households were affected, highlighting the urgent need for dam rehabilitation nationwide.
The toll of this year’s flooding has been devastating: across 34 states, floods have claimed 321 lives, injured over 20,800 people, displaced nearly 1.4 million, and ravaged approximately 250,800 hectares of farmland. President Tinubu personally visited Maiduguri to assess the situation in affected communities.
The committee’s reassessment of dams includes work across various regions. “As I’m talking to you now, there is a team assessing [dams in] the South-West Zone, and another team assessing [dams in] the North West Zone,” Utsev noted. The minister assured that the committee is on track to finalize recommendations next month.
The committee’s efforts gained additional backing from the National Economic Council, which, during its 144th meeting at Aso Rock Villa, emphasized the need for annual de-silting of major waterways to reduce flood risks.
Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, speaking on behalf of NEC, underscored the council’s recommendation for the annual de-silting of rivers, focusing on major waterways such as the Niger and Benue Rivers.
In response to these needs, Utsev added, “We still need new dams. For example, the Dasin Hausa dam in Adamawa State could help curb the menace of flooding along the Benue axis, particularly in mitigating the impact of water releases from the Lagdo Dam.”
