Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum, has alerted the federal government that another rainy season is four months away, calling for urgent need to reconstruct the collapsed Alau Dam that caused devastating floods in Maiduguri and Jere cities.
On September 10, 2024, over 112 million cubic liters of water stored in the Alau Dam was released downstream into the capital city where hundreds of lives and property worth billions of naira were affected.
Zulum made the appeal on Monday while receiving a comprehensive report from the assessment committee that investigated the root causes of the dam collapse in Maiduguri.
“By next week, we shall be in January, and rainfall will set in some parts of Borno State by March. We have limited time!
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“The earlier we begin something, the better for us. The federal government assessment team was in Maiduguri, and they had a consultation with the committee we inaugurated.
“On our part as state government, we shall push this matter to the latter. I am of the view that in a few days, if there is no action on the ground, I will go and see Mr. President and beg him to allow the Northeast Development Commission to take over and start the reconstruction immediately.
“If we decide to wait for the bureaucracy, I am afraid we will run out of time. If we can start on time, I am sure with serious commitment we can rebuild the substantial part of the dam, which has collapsed,” he said.
He said after putting so much effort to address the last disaster, the state could not afford another breach that will not only endanger lives but also disrupt vital infrastructure in the state.
“As a responsible government, we will not fold our arms and wait for the federal government until another disaster occurs, despite the flooding having seriously affected our financial capacity,” he said.
He noted that despite its lean financial resources, the state government would partner with the federal government to avoid a repeat of such a flood disaster in Borno State.
He commended the committee for being proactive by taking temporary measures of earth embankment, which prevented spillage and conserved drinking and irrigation water for residents and farmers in the state.
He promised to peruse the committee’s report and convene a meeting with experts to find immediate solutions to the problem.
He also directed the secretary to the state government to reach out to the federal government committee on Alau Dam with a view to harmonising the reports for better approach to a lasting solution.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, had during an assessment visit to Alau, said the government was committed to repair the dam before the next rainy season.
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