The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged the Nigerian populace to remain calm in light of the forthcoming water release from the Lagdo dam in Cameroon.
A communication dated August 21, 2023, and endorsed by the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Director of African Affairs, Ambassador Umar Salisu, informed NEMA of the Cameroonian Authorities’ intention to discharge water from the Lagdo dam.
Ambassador Salisu entreated NEMA to raise awareness among those who might be affected by the dam’s opening.
NEMA, however, assured in a statement released in Abuja on Monday, August 28, by its Head of Press, Manzo Ezekiel, that it is collaborating with essential stakeholders at various levels to ensure that the dam’s release of water does not have adverse repercussions on the communities in the states that will be impacted.
The states that are likely to face consequences include Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Delta, Rivers, and Bayelsa.
The statement reads: “NEMA wishes to allay fears of Nigerians over the release of the excess water from Lagdo dam, which is located on River Benue in the Republic of Cameroon.
“The Agency is working with critical stakeholders at the Federal, State, and Local Governments to ensure that the release does not cause much negative impacts on the low-lying communities along the states that would be affected.
“The states on the downstream of River Benue are Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa States.”
The statement further stated: “The Agency envisaged this release of excess water from the Lagdo dam, taken note of the likely impacts and considered in the preparations for mitigation and response to the 2023 flood alert.
“Information available from the flow level of River Benue at Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) gauging station in Makurdi stood at 8.97 meters as of August 25th, 2023, compared to 8.80 meters on the same date in 2022.
“In contrast, NIHSA has also provided that the flow level of the River Niger system, specifically at Niamey, Niger Republic, remains stable at a normal level of 4.30 meters. Similarly, inland dams including Kainji, Jebba, and Shiroro reported consistent flow regimes.
“With regards to the hydrological station downstream the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers in Lokoja, Kogi State, are currently within normal limits. The downstream monitoring station, however, registered a flow level of 7.80 meters on August 25th, 2023, compared to 8.24 meters on the same date in 2022.”
