Federal Government has announced plans to fully overhaul and desilt the Alau Dam in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, gave the assurance when he led the Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee on an assessment visit to the dam.
The committee’s visit follows the devastating September 10th flood, which claimed many lives, displaced over a million people, and destroyed critical infrastructure and farmlands worth billions of naira in parts of the state.
The minister, represented by the Director of Dams and Reservoirs in the ministry, Malam Aliyu Dala, highlighted that the site of a collapsed dyke, which led to flooding in Maiduguri and its surrounding areas, was a key focus of the assessment.
Utsev emphasised that the committee would evaluate the physical condition of the dam as well as its social and environmental impacts on local communities, adding that the aim is to develop both short- and long-term solutions to prevent future disasters.
“This committee was formed as a response to the flood disaster in Maiduguri triggered by the collapse of a dyke in the Alau Dam,” Utsev stated.
“We are also tasked with exploring the best options to raise the reservoir, which is the primary source of drinking water and irrigation for Maiduguri, Jere, Mafa, and other local government areas.”
The minister affirmed the government’s commitment to completing the committee’s work before the next rainy season.
“The effort extends beyond the Alau Dam to other dams in the region, including the Kiri and Dadin Kowa dams, as well as others across the country.”
Borno State Chairman of the Technical Sub-Committee on Development around Alau Dam, Alhaji Mohammed Sanda, led the team around the dam structures.
He noted that Maiduguri residents rely heavily on water from the dam for daily use and attributed the recent flooding to heavy rainfall, blocked river access, and the diversion of water into Lake Alau.
The Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee includes professionals from the Ministries of Water Resources and Sanitation, Works and Housing, Environment, Budget, and Finance, as well as representatives from the National Security Adviser’s office, the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).
Dauda Iliya
