The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Terlumun, has assured the public of the government’s commitment to maximising dam utilisation for irrigation and flood prevention purposes across the country.
Terlumun stated this during an evaluation visit to Shagari Dam in Sokoto State on Monday, as part of a broader review of dams in Nigeria.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu established an Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee on Dam Evaluation following recent flooding incidents that affected parts of Maiduguri, Borno State.
The committee, chaired by the minister, includes other members such as the Ministers of Environment, Housing, Works, Budget and National Planning, Information and National Orientation, and Finance.
Represented by the Deputy Director of Dams and Reservoirs in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Oluwatosin Abiola, the minister noted that many dams in Nigeria are ageing and require maintenance and upgrades.
Abiola explained that a technical sub-committee, chaired by the Director of Dams and Reservoir Operations, was constituted to oversee the exercise.
