By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has urged the Federal Government to speed up reconstruction work on the collapsed dyke at Alau Dam.
The dam had led to the recent flooding which which hit Maiduguri metropolis, the capital of the North-Eastern Nigerian state, and the surrounding Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Alau Dam is located in Alau community of Konduga LGA of the state. It was constructed between 1984 and 1986 to provide water for irrigation and domestic use in Maiduguri.
Zulum made the appeal on Monday after receiving the report of an assessment committee that investigated the root cause of the dam’s collapse.
These were disclosed in a press release issued by Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on New Media to the governor, Abdurrahman Bundi.
Zulum expressed worry that with only about four months to the commencement of another rainy season, not much was on ground by way of the remediation efforts.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources needs to speed up work to reconstruct the dam.
He said: “By next week, we shall be in January, and rainfall will set in in some parts of Borno state by March. We have limited time. The earlier we begin something, the better for us.
‘The Federal Government assessment team was in Maiduguri, and they had a consultation with the committee we inaugurated.
“On our part as state government, we shall push this matter to the letter. I am of the view that in a few days, if there is no action on the ground, I will go and see Mr. President and beg him to allow the Northeast Development Commission to take over and start the reconstruction immediately. If we decide to wait for the bureaucracy, I am afraid we will run out of time.
“If we can start on time, I am sure with the serious commitment, we can rebuild the substantial part of the dyke which has collapsed.”
The governor disclosed ed that the committee inaugurated by the state government had taken temporary measures to stop the water from spilling over from the dam.
Zulum also assured that despite limited resources, his administration would partner with the Federal Government to ensure that such a devastating flood as occurred recently would not occur again in the state.
“As a responsible government, we will not fold our arms and wait for the Federal Government until another disaster occurs, despite the flooding having seriously affected our financial capacity,” he stated.
