Minister of Water Resources Meets Borno State Delegates over Alau Dam

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation Professor Joseph Utsev has met with a delegation from the Borno State Government on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Alau Dam.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Minister, Terhemen Oraduen in Abuja.

According to the statement, Professor Utsev called for the meeting following the outcome of his discussion with the Governor of Borno State Prof. Babagana Zulum to enable both the Federal and Borno State Governments work as a team to come out with a template and recommendations to guide the contractor on how best the work would be carried out.

The statement informs the delegation that the Interministerial Technical Committee inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to evaluate the integrity of Dams and Reservoirs in the country which he chaired has so far assessed thirty five Dams and presented its interim report while the final report would be presented to the Council as soon as the committee completes its assignment.

It adds that the Alau Dam is a special case that needed immediate intervention which necessitated the representation of its report to Mr President for action and Eighty Billion Naira was graciously approved for the commencement of the project.

According to the Minister, the work is expected to be completed within twenty four months while the first component will commence from this month and end in July with the second phase starting from October.

The statement assures the Borno State Government of its full participation in the project execution to ensure timely completion.

It further expresses hope that the Dam when completed will boost irrigation farming in Borno state, improve hydropower generation in the North East and appealed to the Borno State Government to ensure adequate provision of security to the project site to enable a smooth execution of the project.

According to the statement, on his part, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Richard Pheelangwah says the synergy between the Federal and Borno State Government was key to achieving success on the project.

It adds that Responding, leader of the Borno State Government delegation and Commissioner for Water Resources in Borno, Tijani Goni who described Professor Utsev as a man of his words, expresses appreciation to the Minister for taking the issue of Alau Dam as his personal project saying the people of Borno State will ever remain grateful to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Professor Utsev when the dam is finally completed.

PR/Georgina Humphrey