President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved N80 billion for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Alau Dam in Borno State as part of efforts to address flooding and enhance water management in the region.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, disclosed this on Tuesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja, which was presided over by President Tinubu.

Utsev stated that the Borno State Government is partnering with the Federal goyvernment to execute the project, which is set to be completed within 24 months. 

He emphasised that the first phase of the rehabilitation would be completed between February and July 2025 to mitigate the risk of flooding in the state.

The Minister also provided an update on the National Committee on Dam Evaluation, which was constituted on September 23, 2024, and inaugurated on October 2, 2024. 

He explained that after assessing 35 dams across Nigeria, the committee identified the Alau Dam as the most critical and in urgent need of reconstruction and rehabilitation.

“The mandate of that committee was to assess all dams in the country and come up with recommendations of how best the dams can be put to use, the areas of water supply, flood control, irrigation and fish farming, among others.

“The committee constituted a subcommittee which co-opted members of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, the Council for regulation of engineering in Nigeria, and that of Council of dams experts in Nigeria. 

“So the committee swooped into action and brought out recommendations of about 35 dams that have assessed so far.

“So, today the interim report was presented to the Federal Executive Council. We saw some challenges as a result of flooding on the 10th of September last year. 

“So, the designs, analysis and everything of that particular dam, Alau dam, was done and presented to the subcommittee, and that report was made before Mr President, and Mr President graciously gave an approval of N80 billion for the reconstruction and expansion of Alau dam immediately, in Bono state. 

“So, as it stands now, the approval for the construction of new rehabilitation of alao dam has been done by Mr. President, which is awaiting ratification of the Federal Executive Council when all other due process are being observed.

“The Borno state government is working with the subcommittee and members of the Nigerian security advisory office. They are working together to kick start that that project, and we are believing that between now and July this year, the first component of that work will be established, so that this year there will be no flooding in Maiduguri again.

“Then the other components like desilting will commence by December this year. The project is supposed to expand for a period of 24 months”, he said.

The Federal Executive Council had previously approved the setting up of a committee to reassess the structural integrity of Alau Dam and other dams across the country.

The committee is chaired by Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, and includes key ministers and officials such as the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

Other members include the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu.

Utsev reiterated the federal government’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s water infrastructure, ensuring sustainable water management, and preventing flooding disasters across the country.