By Amos Aar
THE FEDERAL government has announced plans to construct dams on the tributaries of River Benue and in Adamawa to end perennial flooding in the two states; this was disclosed in a statement by Terhemen Oraduen, the Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev.
The minister announced the plan Thursday at the end of the regular meeting of the National Council on Water Resources and Sanitation in Abuja.
Utsev explained that the proposed dams which are in collaboration with the Benue State Government will be constructed on Rivers Dura, Mu and Pete, stating that a pre-feasibility study has already been carried out for the proposed dams.
The minister also announced that a study and design has also been completed for the construction of a buffer dam at Datsin-Hausa in Adamawa State that will contain the excess water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon that has continued to wreak havoc on farm lands, crops, properties and lives in Adamawa and Benue states.
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According to him, in order to align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the declaration of State of Emergency on food security, his ministry has introduced some flagship projects which include, Water for Expanded Irrigated Agriculture Programme, Partnership for Expanded Irrigation Programme and River Basin Strategy for Poverty Alleviation Programme aimed at revolutionising the country’s irrigated agriculture landscape, boosting food production, creating jobs and propelling economic growth.
In the area of water quality, sanitation and hygiene, Utsev announced that his ministry has constructed over nine thousand sanitation facilities in one hundred and twenty seven (127) local governments in the country to serve over five hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) people in public places and institutions such as markets, motor parks, schools, Internally Displaced Persons Camps (IDPs) while twelve more local governments in the country have been certified open defecation free (ODF), bringing the total number of local governments that have achieved ODF to one hundred and seventeen (117).
He called on the States and local governments in the country to take advantage of available water resources infrastructure provided by the federal government in their domains for economic growth and development.
On his part, Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Barr Bello Goronyo, called on stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector to come out with a workable and sustainable policy that would proffer solution to water and sanitation challenges and boost irrigation farming in the country .
Also speaking, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Water Resources, Alh Sada Soli, emphasized the need for a joint efforts and international cooperation to guarantee food security in the country, noting that the National Assembly was committed to supporting the efforts of the ministry to deliver on its mandate of ensuring safely managed sanitation and food security in the country.
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Permanent Secretary Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Mr Udo Atang, who spoke on behalf of the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, stressed the need for a stronger synergy for effective water management and achieve food security.
Oraduen in the statement said the 13th regular meeting of the National Council on Water Resources and Sanitation with the theme” People, Planet and Prosperity: Promoting Water Governance for National Food Security had in attendance, representatives of UNICEF, World Bank, Commissioners of Water Resources across the thirty six states and the FCT, Managing Directors of River Basins Development Authority in the country and other critical stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector.
