The National Economic Council in Nigeria recently recommended the involvement of the South East and South-South regions in the construction of dams. Additionally, they supported a directive from the Federal Government for the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to conduct thorough integrity tests on the country’s waterways and dams to address flooding issues.
Following the 144th council meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Anambra State Governor, Prof Charles Soludo, shared these updates. He mentioned that the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation presented interventions in response to this year’s floods, identifying 148 high-flood-risk local government areas across 31 states from April to November 2024.
The council resolved that the ministry should review the integrity of all waterways and dams nationwide and emphasized the importance of dredging waterways. Governors were urged to submit reports on flood situations in their states promptly. The council also highlighted the need for infrastructure resilient funds from the Green Climate Fund and stressed the importance of including the South East/South South regions in dam construction projects.
Furthermore, the council discussed the national emergency response to the floods, with 34 states, 217 local governments, and over a million people affected. The council stressed the importance of an annual desilting program for waterways to reduce future flood risks.
Prof Joseph Utsev, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, provided details on a technical sub-committee appointed by the President to compile an interim report on flood management strategies.