FG restores dams in Kwara, Kaduna, 20 other states

The Federal Government said it had improved the water supply in the country through the rehabilitation of river basins.

It also stated that it had completed the rehabilitation of dams across 22 states, while it continued to work on several dam projects, The Punch reported.

The report titled, ‘President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration scorecard in the water sector (2015-2023)’, was presented by the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu in December 2022.

While stating that the ministry inherited 116 water supply and hydropower irrigation projects since the 1980s, the ministry also stressed that it had completed “hundreds of projects through the River Basin Authorities to improve water supply.”

The scorecard listed Patigi Water Supply Project, Patigi, Kwara State, ABU Zaria Water Supply Project, Zaria, Kaduna State, and Ezealakpaka Water Supply Project, Mbano, Imo State, Damaturu Water Supply Project LOT B and C, Damaturu, Yobe State, Akanu Water Supply Project Ohafia, Abia State, Uburu Water Supply Project Ohaozala, Ebonyi State, Nasarawa Water Supply Project Nasarawa State, Amla-Otukpo Dam Benue State, among others as the interventions made by the Federal Government.

The ministry also noted it had collaborated with the private sector to provide jobs for the youths through its various water management projects. It stressed that it has increased the number of jobs from 8,882 in 2019 to over 16,648 in 2022.

The scorecard partly read, “The Ministry has also empowered 626,642 persons in 2019 and over 1,227,477 persons in 2022 towards the realization of Mr President’s June 12 promise to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.”

Providing statistics on the availability of clean and accessible water in the country, the ministry noted that Nigerians had more access to improved, clean, and potable water.

It stated,

“The percentage of the population with access to safely managed drinking water services steadily improved from 3.7  percent in 2016 to 13 percent in 2021. This implies that additional 21 million Nigerians drink water from an improved source that is accessible on premises, available when needed and free from faecal and priority chemical contamination.

It also disclosed that “In providing access to potable water in Nigeria, 6,761 water schemes were developed across urban, small town and rural areas of the country producing 794,334,000 litres/day and serving 32,008,600 Nigerians.”

Speaking on the rehabilitation and management of dams, it stated that four hundred Dams in Nigeria which can provide 11.2 Billion Cubic Metres of water for irrigation, 900MCM for water supply, and 18BCM for hydropower generation have been activated.

It however noted that 15 dams had been rehabilitated in nine states while eight other dams were still undergoing rehabilitation.

“Between 2016 to 2022, the Dams projects that are completed and rehabilitated include; Kashimbilla Multipurpose Dam, Taraba State (500 MCM), 2017; Gimi Dam, Kaduna State (4.5 MCM), 2017; Kargo Dam (Rehabilitation), Kaduna State (2.3 MCM), 2017; Sulma Dam, Katsina State (4.0 MCM), 2018; Ibiono-Ibom Dam, Akwa Ibom State (0.3 MCM), 2018; Ogwashi-Uku Dam, Delta State (4 MCM), 2019; and Kampe Omi Dam (Rehabilitation), Kogi State (250MCM), 2019,” the scorecard further read.
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