NEC orders audit of Nigeria’s waterways, dams

The National Economic Council (NEC) has directed the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to conduct a comprehensive integrity review of Nigeria’s waterways and dams to address the devastating impacts of flooding.

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State disclosed this after a NEC meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima. Soludo shared that Water Resources and Sanitation Minister Joseph Utsev briefed NEC members on the Federal Government’s interventions to manage this year’s flood impact, which has reached critical levels nationwide.

The Ministry of Water Resources had earlier identified 148 local government areas across 31 states as high-risk flood zones from April to November 2024.

Following the minister’s presentation, NEC resolved that the ministry should proceed with an integrity review of all waterways and dams nationwide. Soludo emphasized that NEC called for a large-scale dredging program for the waterways and urged governors who haven’t submitted flooding management reports for their states to do so promptly.

Council members also noted the need for an infrastructure resilience fund under the Green Climate Fund and highlighted areas critically affected by flooding, particularly in the South East and South South, which are largely excluded from current dam construction projects intended to mitigate flooding.

Minister Utsev informed NEC that a technical sub-committee, appointed by President Tinubu on October 8, 2024, is actively working on an interim report, which will be presented to the Inter-Ministerial Committee and then forwarded to the President.

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