The National Economic Council, (NEC) Nigeria’s top economic advisory body, recommended on Thursday that the South East and South-South regions be included in the construction of dams.
The council also endorsed an earlier Nigerian Government directive instructing the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to conduct a thorough integrity test on Nigeria’s waterways and dams to prevent future flooding.
This was disclosed by Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, after the 144th council meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the State House, Abuja.
Professor Soludo noted that the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, had updated the council on the government’s interventions following the severe impact of this year’s floods.
Previously, the ministry had identified 148 local government areas across 31 states as high flood-risk zones from April to November 2024.
Following the minister’s presentation, NEC resolved that “the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation should carry out an integrity review of all waterways and dams across the country.”
Governor Soludo highlighted that NEC strongly emphasised the need for a large-scale programme to dredge waterways. The council also urged governors who have yet to submit reports on the flooding situation in their states to do so promptly.
The council noted that the Green Climate Fund should incorporate a resilient infrastructure component. Furthermore, NEC expressed concern that some areas heavily affected by flooding, particularly in the South East and South-South regions, were excluded from current dam construction programmes, which could act as flood buffers, especially along the River Niger.
Reflecting on the national emergency response, Soludo detailed the widespread impact: “To date, about 34 states have been affected, covering 217 local governments, with 1,374,557 individuals impacted, 740,743 displaced, 321 lives lost, and 20,845 injured. Additionally, 250,800 hectares of cultivated farmland have been destroyed or affected by the floods.”
The council also stressed the need for an annual desilting programme for waterways to reduce the risk of future flooding.
During his presentation, Professor Utsev informed the council that a technical sub-committee, appointed by the President on 8 October 2024, is actively working on its assignment and will compile an interim report for review by the inter-ministerial committee before submission to the President.
