FG to construct dams nationwide to reduce flooding

The Federal Government has completed plans to build dams around the nation, according to Professor Joseph Utserv, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, as part of attempts to lessen the catastrophic effects of flooding.

At the inauguration and handover of the 1.2 km Idye River Basin erosion control/hydraulic drainage project in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, he disclosed this.

The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission oversaw the project (N-HYPPADEC).

At the event, Utserv was represented by Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The minister declared, "Because water is essential to life, the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation is constructing dams around the nation, including in Benue.

"The President is creating an inclusive Nigeria, and we are also supplying water infrastructure throughout the entire country."

During the SGF's speech, Akume mentioned that commissioning the project is a significant step in addressing the issue of flooding in Makurdi.

In Nigeria's power-producing regions, the SGF recognised N-HYPPADEC's commitment to curbing environmental deterioration and advancing sustainable community development.

According to him, the agency's goal is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's vision of an industrialised and developed nation where the hydropower dams in the country can produce enough electricity to meet the needs of the local population without lowering living standards in the areas that produce the electricity.

He says that the process of undoing environmental harm brought on by erosion and floods over time necessitates careful, long-term planning that should be carried out gradually.

"We are here to commission this flood control project, which is just one of the early steps taken by the Commission towards reversing ecological degradation and promoting sustainable developments in riverine communities across the nation," the SGF continued.

Speaking before, N-HYPPADEC's Managing Director, Abubakar Yelwa, bemoaned the destructive consequences of floods, claiming that 18,349 homes and farmlands were devastated and that 134,797 people were forced to flee their homes in 2022.

"The people who live in Makurdi and other areas of Benue State have experienced yearly flooding for years, which has destroyed hundreds of homes and farmlands, displacing numerous families.

“The 2022 Benue floods were even more tragic. In 2022, the Benue State Emergency Management Agency reported that the floods consumed about 18,349 houses and farmlands, displacing a total of 134,797 people.
This startling effect highlights the urgent necessity for swift action to protect the state's towns and citizens' means of subsistence.

"Federal and state governments have worked feverishly to contain this issue and lessen its effects on the populace and the environment.

According to the MD, the Federal Government invested over N1.2 billion on the project, which included an extra 2.5 kilometres of excavation to save the community's bottom basin.

The state governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, expressed sadness in his statement for Benue's vulnerability to seasonal flooding and erosion due to the state's geographic location and climate.

"Our agricultural productivity is threatened by these environmental concerns, but they also jeopardise the safety and wellbeing of our people.

“In this context, the Idye flood control/dyke project is not just a necessity but a beacon of hope for our countries.
Severe flooding, which has been called one of the worst in a decade, affects many states in the nation, especially during the rainy season.

Due to the loss of crops, the floods do cause considerable damage to houses, farms, and infrastructure, which exacerbates worries about food security.

There are other factors that contribute to how severe the flooding is. Numerous locations have become especially vulnerable as a result of inadequate urban design and heavy rainfall.

Furthermore, the situation has gotten worse due to the overflow of water from Cameroon's Lagdo Dam, especially in states bordering the River Niger.