The Senate has called on the Federal Government, to revisit the construction of Dasin Hausa Dam, by making budgetary provisions starting with the 2024 federal budget.
The Senate made the call following a motion by Senator Binos Yaroe (Adamawa South), on “urgent need to address the recurring issue of flood-induced damages caused by the willful release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon: The Need for a permanent solution to the problem and restitution for the communities ravaged by the phenomena.”
The motion which was co-sponsored by 16 other Senators received overwhelming support from all the senators present at Tuesday’s plenary.
Also, the Senate urged the Federal Government to intervene, through the Ecological Fund Office, to construct some of the flood prevention structures such as dykes, embankments, levees, and flood measuring devices at key points along the Benue River in order to protect farmlands, infrastructure and downstream communities in the Benue trough.
Moreover, the apex legislative Assembly, called on the Federal Government, through the Inland Waterways Authority, to dredge the River Benue from Makurdi all the way to Lagdo Dam (in cooperation with the Republic of Cameron).
Earlier, the Senate recalled the recent announcement by the Director-General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) that recent release of water by Lagdo Dam in Camerron will cause more flood disaster downstream the Benue River, which will affect eight states, i.e. Adamawa. Taraba, Benue, Kogi, Anambra. Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
Part of the motion reads: “The Senate Notes that a large portion of the land mass of Adamawa, Taraba, Benue and Kogi States lie within the River Benue trough, which is flooded every rainy season occasioned by natural run-off and discharges mainly from Lagdo Dam; Notes further that the communities living in the aforementioned River Benue plains engage in the cultivation of different crops both in the wet and dry seasons;
“Concerned that the frequency and intensity of hydrological hazards such as flood as being experienced annually from unregulated releases most especially from Lagdo Dam will continue to cause various forms of catastrophic outcomes unless a lasting solution is implemented: Concerned further that the discharges of water from Lagdo Dam whenever it reaches its critical level often brings about the overflowing of the banks of River Benue inundating flood plains downstream the dam thereby causing great destruction to farmlands, Infrastructure and even often resulting in loss of lives: Notes that the major reason adducible to this malaise is the low channel capacity of River Benue that will allow it hold large volume water due to the high degree of siltation of the river;
“Aware that the incessant flooding negates the efforts of thousands of farming population in crop production in the Benue trough, especially the dry season farms, located in the flood plains, such as the Adamawa State Government Dam Irrigation Scheme in Demsa Local Government;
“Notes that the aforementioned problems would have been ameliorated if the River Benue was dredged and appropriate Receptors or Buffer Dams in the Upper Benue Region of Nigeria were constructed, into which the unregulated discharge from Lagdo Dam could be channeled and thereafter released gradually in order to minimize the flooding of the downstream communities.”
