…expect less flooding – Minister
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has said the recent floods in Nigeria are not due to the opening of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
According to the Director General of the agency, Clement Nze, the development is due to flash floods, poorly constructed or lack of proper flood channels, and inadequate drainage systems across the country.
He said this in a press briefing at the agency’s office in Abuja on Tuesday, adding that even if the Lagdo Dam were to collapse, its impact would not go past Numan in Adamawa State.
Mr Nze said that the Dam has been closed at the moment and while appealing for calm, he reminded that flood warnings had been given to states to be affected adversely since February.
The NIHSA boss is also advocating the construction of earth dams on the tributaries of the Niger and Benue rivers and speedy action on the construction of the Kashimbila Dam in Adamawa State.
He also clarified that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Nigeria and Cameron in 2016 doesn’t require the Cameroonian authorities to inform Nigeria before releasing water from the Lagdo Dam.
Expect less flooding – Minister
The Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Salako, believes the opening of Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam won’t cause as much flooding as it did last year.
Nigeria’s neighbour, Cameroon, days ago opened the dam with governments and agencies placing communities on red alert.
Dr Salako, said that there has been an approach to building another dam in Adamawa State so it can hold off the water from the Cameroon dam.
“Compared to 2022, we do not envisage seeing such kind of thing that we saw in 2022. However, there have been a lot of warnings, alerts, and requests for people who are living on the banks of River Benue to relocate to higher ground.
“We expect that some flooding will occur as a result of the opening of that dam, and it is inevitable, because if the dam itself overflows on its own. The disaster that it will cause will be worse.
“It is better to have a managed release of the water in the dam to ensure that the damage is not much,” the minister added.
His comment comes after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs alerted the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) over impending flooding along the River Benue basin.
