The Federal Government of Nigeria don announce plans to reposition dams across the country. This announcement come after dem discover say siltation don reduce the water volume inside Ogwashi-Uku Dam in Delta State.
Abiola Oluwatosin, who be the Deputy Director and Geotechnical Divisional Head of Dams Department, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, talk about this during an inspection of the Ogwashi-Uku Dam in Aniocha South Local Government Area.
Oluwatosin say the Presidential Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee on the Evaluation of Dams, wey President Bola Tinubu set up, dey work to evaluate the integrity of dams across Nigeria. This committee include experts from different federal ministries, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, and other technical professionals.
The objective of this committee be to conduct a comprehensive assessment of dams to determine their structural integrity, assess their impact on downstream communities, and evaluate the environmental and social conditions affecting riparian settlements.
During the inspection, Oluwatosin note say siltation don cause significant reduction in water volume and that the spillway and dam height go be considered in future actions. She also talk about the operational and maintenance challenges wey the dam dey face, emphasizing the need for immediate attention.
The Managing Director of the Benin-Owena River Basin Authority, Mr Salin Ahmed, also explain the features of the dam, including its 15-metre height, 280-metre length, and 4 million cubic metres (MCM) reservoir capacity. He add say while the water component be under the state government, the dam include a 1-megawatt hydropower component that enhance its potential.
