President Bola Tinubu has approved N80 billion for the reconstruction and expansion of the Alau Dam in Borno State.
The Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Joseph Utsev, disclosed this during a briefing with State House correspondents following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in Abuja on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.
Utsev, who is also the chairman of the inter-ministerial committee on dams, revealed that Tinubu approved the rehabilitation of Alau Dam, pending ratification by the FEC.
The committee, established on September 23, 2024, includes the ministers of finance, environment, works, information, and the National Security Adviser as members.
The committee was inaugurated on October 2, 2024, with the goal of assessing dams nationwide and recommending improvements for better usage.
A sub-committee, co-opting members from the Nigeria Society of Engineers, the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, and the Council of Dams Experts in Nigeria, was formed.
The committee has assessed around 35 dams and produced recommendations. An interim report was presented to the FEC.
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Utsev said: “So, the committee swooped into action and brought out recommendations of about 35 dams that have been assessed so far.
“Today the interim report was presented to the Federal Executive Council. The Alau Dam is very critical. We saw some challenges as a result of flooding on September 10, 2024.
“The assessment of the remaining 34 dams is ongoing, and will be presented to the Federal Executive Council and the entire Nigerians.”
Utsev added that the Borno State Government is working closely with the sub-committee to begin the project, aiming to complete the first phase before July.
The minister stated that decilting will begin in December, with the project expected to take 24 months to complete.
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