NIHSA DG Attributes Causes of Flood to Inadequate Dams in Nigeria

By Kasim Sumaina

The Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Clement Onyeaso Nze, has attributed the cause of constant flooding incidents in the country to inadequate dam system.
Nze, while speaking with journalists in Abuja at the weekend, stated that 400 dams are not adequate for a country like Nigeria, adding that the importance of dams can never be over-emphasised.
He stated that flood, which is a natural disaster could be of great economic importance to the country if properly managed and channeled to the agriculture sector and hydropower plants creation.
Nze said water that is supposed to be a blessing is becoming a curse to Nigeria, stating that: “Nigeria is tremendously blessed with huge amount of both surface and ground water, but the challenge had been the proper management of this resource, and not until we see water as an economic resource, we will continue like this.”
According to him, after each cycle of flooding, “the agriculturists will tell you that the nutrients capacity of the soil had highly improved and they experienced bomber harvest.” “We can convert this flood to economic benefits to our country.”

The NIHSA boss maintained that the country has about 400 dams but less than 200 of them are what we call “large dams. There are so much to be done with dams. We have enough water for the development of hydropower plants and other economic projects.

“We have been advising state governments to find a way to construct diversions canals by the Rivers Niger and Benue, and channel the waters distance away and develop another city there. It cannot only be a means of flood reduction, it can be used for agriculture and other businesses.”

Nze, however, advised that blocked drainages and gutters should be cleared and river channels dredged, and also structures within the waterways and floodplains and flood paths pulled down.