Story Written By Dauda Iliya and Edited by Godwin Duru
Federal Government has announced plans to upgrade the Alau Dam to mitigate the risk of future spillovers.
The dam, which has a capacity of one hundred and twelve million cubic meters, recently experienced an unprecedented flood that severely impacted Maiduguri and its surrounding areas.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev made the announcement following an assessment visit to the flood-affected locations in the metropolis.
The Minister accompanied by the Minister of State Alhaji Bello Goronyo and management staff, navigated flood-affected areas in parts of Maiduguri metropolis in a military vehicle to evaluate the damage.
Despite the gradual recession of floodwaters, access remains challenging in areas such as Gamboru, Gwange, Custom, and the 505 Housing Estate.
Professor Utsev revealed that a technical team has been deployed for an on-the-spot assessment aimed at finding a long-term solution to the region’s persistent flooding
He also announced that the Alau Dam, under the ministry’s supervision, will be upgraded to better handle excess water from heavy rainfall.
“We know that the dam has actually been silted from the information getting to us, we are going to upgrade this dam, we are going to increase its height that subsequently it can be able to accommodate excess water that can arise as a result of overflow or heavy downflow of rainfall” Utsev stated.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation warned residents against using contaminated water due to the serious risk of waterborne diseases.
He assured that the ministry will provide sanitary kits and other support to the state government to prevent potential epidemics.
Earlier, Professor Utsev and his delegation visited Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum where they expressed their condolences and pledged support for addressing the flood disaster.
Governor Zulum emphasized that the state has never experienced flooding of such magnitude and called for a comprehensive approach to tackle the crisis.
“We need to expand the carrying capacity of the dam and most importantly, we need to build hydraulic structures that can handle the natural flow water of the dam. This is something that we have look into it” Zulum remarked.
The Minister of Water Resources and his team also visited the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai Elkanemi, at his palace.
During the visit, the Shehu suggested channeling the flood waters to the Lake Chad area to enhance farming and stimulate economic activities.
Dauda Iliya
