Lara Adejoro The Federal Government, on Wednesday, inaugurated an Inter-ministerial Technical Committee on Evaluation of Dams in Nigeria to evaluate and ensure the safety of dams across the country. The committee pledged to evaluate the physical condition of dams, assess the social and environmental implications of dams on local communities, and draw up a programme to address the challenges of dams. On September 23, the Federal Government established a technical committee to reassess the integrity of the Borno State dam and others nationwide, following the breach of the Alau Dam.
The Federal Government also approved the establishment of a Disaster Relief Fund to “build greater resilience” in preventing and responding to natural disasters nationwide, especially floods. The committee led by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev, also noted that part of its primary objectives is to draw up a programme to address the challenges of dams in the country. In his remarks on Wednesday, Utsev said, “To help achieve the objectives of establishing the fund, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, approved the constitution of an Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee on Evaluation of Dams in Nigeria.
The Technical Committee has the overall primary objectives of evaluating the physical condition of dams, assessing the social and environmental implications of dams on local communities, and drawing up a programme to address the challenges of dams in the c.
