President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate release of N80 billion for the reconstruction and expansion of the Alau Dam in Borno State, following its catastrophic collapse in 2024 that resulted in severe flooding, the death of over 150 people, and the displacement of at least 419,000 residents.
The approval was announced by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, while briefing correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.
Located in Alau community, Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, the dam was originally constructed between 1984 and 1986 on the Ngadda River, a key tributary of Lake Chad.
It served as a major reservoir supporting water supply, irrigation, flood control, and fisheries before its collapse in 2024 exposed critical structural vulnerabilities.
Utsev revealed that the approval followed the submission of an interim report by a Ministerial Committee set up on September 23, 2024, to evaluate the structural integrity of dams across Nigeria.
The committee, chaired by Utsev, includes key ministers from the Ministries of Finance, Environment, Works, Information, and the National Security Adviser.
“The mandate of the committee was to assess all dams in the country and come up with recommendations on how best the dams can be put to use in areas such as water supply, flood control, irrigation, and fish farming,” Utsev said.
To support its work, the committee constituted a sub-committee that incorporated experts from the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and the Council of Dams Experts in Nigeria.
“So far, the committee has assessed about 35 dams across the country. The interim report presented to FEC highlighted major challenges, especially the vulnerabilities exposed during the devastating floods of September 10, 2024,” the minister noted.
The reconstruction and expansion of the Alau Dam will proceed immediately, with work expected to begin before July 2025 to prevent further flooding in Maiduguri and surrounding areas during the next rainy season.
“As it stands now, the approval for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Alau Dam has been granted by Mr. President. The project is awaiting formal ratification by the Federal Executive Council after all due processes are observed,” Utsev said.
The project will be implemented in collaboration with the Borno State Government and the Nigerian Security Adviser’s Office, with active oversight from technical experts.
“We believe that between now and July this year, the first component of the work will be established to mitigate the risk of flooding. The other components, such as desilting, will commence by December 2025. The entire project is scheduled to span 24 months,” Utsev added.
The reconstruction of Alau Dam is expected to significantly boost Borno State’s efforts to recover from the devastating floods and enhance resilience against future environmental disasters.
It will also restore critical infrastructure for water supply, irrigation, and agriculture, benefiting thousands of residents in the region.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
