Minister warns against farming activities on Alau dam shores, embarkments
By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri, August
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, has warned against farming and sand mining activities on the project site and shores of Alau Dam in Borno.
The 40-year-old dam collapsed last September following the 2024 floods that claimed 150 lives with the destruction of much infrastructure, houses and farms.
Utsev gave the warnings in Maiduguri during the N80 billion reconstruction and upgrade assessment visit to the project site located 22 km off Bama Road.
“We are here today in the state to see the level of completion of the dam project to provide potable and irrigation water,” he said.
He is assuring that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, is to complete the dam in the second phase of the project in March 2027.
He, however lamented the hindrance to completing the dam project with various farming activities. He, therefore, urged Governor Babagana Zulum to sensitise the farming communities to the ecological dangers and other implications of encroaching on the shores and embankments of a dam.
Speaking on the specifications and capacity of Alau Dam, the minister stated, “It is designed to hold a maximum of 329 cubic metres of water, while the current dam volume stands at 326.8 cubic metres of water,” noting that the volume is lower than the one experienced in 2024.
The minister added that in case of any suspicion of the dam bursting, I have directed the contractor handling the ongoing project to open any of three dykes.”
Explaining that the dykes’ openings will allow the free flow of water into the Rivers Yedzaram and Ngadda that crisscross Maiduguri metropolis and Jere Local Government Areas.
He further revealed that in addition to the provision of irrigation water to the Lake Chad Basin, the dam, after its completion, will also generate hydroelectric power for distribution to the Northeast region, comprising six states.
