The Federal Government has revealed plans to build dams around the nation to lessen the disastrous impacts of floods, according to a statement made on Thursday by Professor Joseph Utserv, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation.
This was revealed by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utserv on Thursday at the 1.2 km Idye River Basin erosion control/hydraulic drainage project’s inauguration and handover ceremony in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State.
The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) was in charge of the project.
Utserv represented Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation at the occassion.
In his remarks, the minister stated, “Because water is essential to life, the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation is constructing dams nationwide, including in Benue state.
“We are also providing water infrastructure across all the breaths of Nigeria and the President is building a Nigeria where everyone is involved.”
In the SGF’s speech, Akume noted that the project being commissioned represents an important step towards taming the challenge of flood in the Makurdi metropolis.
The SGF acknowledged N-HYPPADEC’s dedication to reversing environmental degradation and promoting sustainable community development in Nigeria’s power-producing areas.
He stated that the objective of the agency was in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of an industrialised and developed country where the nation’s hydropower dams can generate adequate electricity without compromising the living standards of the local populations inhabiting the power-producing areas.
According to him, the task of reversing environmental damages caused by floods and erosion over the years requires meticulous and long-term planning that should be executed in stages.
“This flood control project, which we are here to commission today, is only one of the early steps taken by the Commission towards reversing ecological degradation and promoting sustainable developments in riverine communities across the country,” the SGF said.
Speaking earlier, the Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, Abubakar Yelwa who decried the devastating effects of flooding said that 18,349 houses and farmlands were destroyed while a total of 134,797 people were displaced in 2022.
He said, “For years, the residents of Makurdi and other parts of Benue State have endured annual flooding that has consumed thousands 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 staggering impact shows the urgent need to take decisive action to safeguard the communities and the livelihoods of people in the state.
“Successive governments at both federal and state levels have made frantic efforts to manage this crisis and mitigate its impact on the people and the environment.
The MD said that the Federal Government had spent approximately N1.2 billion on the project including additional excavation of 2.5kms aimed to salvage the lower basin of the community.
In his speech, the state governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia expressed regretted that the geographical location and climate condition of the state make Benue susceptible to seasonal flooding and erosion.
He said, “These environmental challenges threaten not only our agricultural productivity but also the safety and livelihoods 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.
Many states across the country – especially during the rainy season – face severe flooding, which has been described as one of the worst in a decade.
