The federal government plans to build five dams to stop the constant flooding caused by water from the Lagdo dam. These dams will be built along the Rivers Niger and Benue.
Mr. Umar Muhammed, the Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), spoke about this on Channels TV. He was represented by Femi Bejide, the Director of Operational Hydrology at the agency.
He said that NIHSA has sent a proposal to the Presidency to build these five dams. They will help catch the extra water from the Lagdo dam in Cameroon.
He also said that the recent floods in Borno and other northern states happened because of too much rain, which is due to climate change.
“What needs to be done is in a report sent to the Presidency,” he explained. “We need five buffer dams, and the federal government is considering it.”
“In the meantime, some of our dams need cleaning. We also need to make the tributaries, or smaller rivers that join the Niger and Benue, bigger,” he added.
He mentioned that Cameroon has started releasing water from the Lagdo dam, but they agreed to do it slowly so the River Benue doesn’t get too much water at once.
To handle the water release, NIHSA had earlier sent a flood impact study to states and local governments.
He also advised people living near flood-prone areas to move to safer places. He called on state governments to clean canals and waterways to make sure water flows freely from the River Benue to the Atlantic Ocean.
Backstory
People living near the Rivers Niger and Benue have often faced floods because of water released from the Lagdo dam in Cameroon. States most affected include Kogi, Edo, Benue, Adamawa, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Cross River.
- Earlier this week, NIHSA warned Nigerians that Cameroon would start releasing water from the Lagdo dam from September 17, 2024, for about two weeks.
- Recently, many northern states have had flash floods, damaging homes, properties, and farms. In Maiduguri, the Alau dam collapsed, flooding a large part of the city. The federal government has announced a N3 billion aid package for the affected states.