Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation Professor Joseph Utsev has initiated talks with the leadership of the House of Representatives to renew a partnership that will aid in addressing the country’s perennial flooding issues.
The Minister recently met with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Flood Management and Response in Abuja.
In a statement by his Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity Terhemen Oraduen, Minister Utsev explained that such a partnership was crucial to enable the two arms of government to work collectively for effective flood mitigation and management in the country.
He informed the committee that his ministry has over the years, invested significantly in dams and irrigation projects across the six geopolitical zones for various purposes including flood control.
Some of the dams according to the Minister include the Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam in Taraba State aimed at providing water for irrigation and supplying power to the national grid adding that several other dam projects including Mangu in Plateau, Adada in Enugu were at various stages of completion.
He told the committee that work on the Alau dam in Borno State was also progressing steadily while study and design have been completed for the construction of a buffer Dam called Dasin Hausa in Adamawa State which when completed will contain excess water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon that causes flooding at the downstream of River Benue.
The Minister expressed optimism that the partnership between his ministry, the National Assembly, and development partners will build a resilient water sector that secures the future of the country.
Professor Utsev assured the committee of the commitment of his ministry to delivering priority dams and irrigation projects as well as protecting Nigerians from the impact of flooding and expanding irrigated lands to meet the food and energy needs of the nation’s growing population.
Earlier, Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on Flood management and Response Mr Midala Balama explained that the visit was to interact with the Minister and his team to strengthen partnership and come out with new ideas on how best to mitigate and respond to flood issues in the country.
