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View of Gubi Dam, Bauchi State
A technical sub-committee of the Federal Government on the evaluation of dams in Nigeria has declared dams in Gombe, Bauchi as safe, and the Ogwashi-Ukuv Dam as viable.
The declarations came from members of the committee differently upon their inspection visits to the three dams.
The evaluation of dams across the country was necessitated by the recent collapse of a section of the spillway of Alau Dam in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The development caused massive flooding of the town, leading to the displacement of many residents and destruction of properties.
During his physical inspection of the Dadin-Kowa Dam in the Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State, the Director of Dams and Reservoirs at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Ali Ibrahim, declared the dam safe.
Ibrahim said, “The inspection we are conducting aims to ensure the safety of critical water infrastructure in the wake of the recent flooding incident at Alau Dam in Borno State.”
Ibrahim said the committee began its mission at the Alau Dam in Maiduguri, followed by the Mangu Dam in Plateau, and the Dadin-Kowa Dam in Gombe.
He said that the committee’s next point of call would be the Kiri Dam in Adamawa State.
He, however, said that based on preliminary inspections, the Dadin-Kowa Dam appeared safe for the time being, but that further investigations were necessary to assess the internal conditions of the dam.
“These evaluations would reveal any hidden structural issues that might not be visible during the initial inspection,” he said.
At Gubi Dam in Bauchi, Ibrahim said there was no cause for alarm regarding the condition of the dam.
Aliyu said the Gubi Dam appeared to be in good condition by physical examination.
“The dam is good. All the necessary features required in a dam are okay. You can look at the structure that breaks the waves from affecting the stability of any bank intact.
“And even the dam stream is okay. So I think in physical examination we can deduce the healthy status of this dam to say it is very good,” he said.
He, however, stated that the committee could not comment on the internal condition of the dams.
“After the assessment of the dams across the country, there will be recommendations to the Federal Government on the remedy to put in place, as actions will be taken where necessary,” he said.
In the same vein, the FG team declared the Ogwashi-Uku Dam viable although it has a reduction in volume capacity due to siltation.
The Deputy Director, Geotechnical Divisional Head, Dam’s department in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Mrs Abiola Oluwatosin, stated this on Wednesday when she led the team to the Ogwashi-Uku Dam in the Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State.
She assured that the findings on the dam would form a robust action plan that would help to combat the challenges facing the dam structure in the country.
“So, we are here, inspecting the Ogwashi-Uku dam and our findings will be submitted for action. We observe that the volume of the water in the dam has greatly reduced due to siltation and spillway.
“We have noted the height of the dam, the length of the dam, we have seen the spillway, and many things will be put into consideration. Ogwashi-Uku Dam is viable and completed,” she said.
She highlighted the challenges of the Ogwashi-Uku dams to include operational and maintenance.
The Managing Director of Benin-Owena River Basin Division Authority, Mr Salin Ahmed, stressed that the 15m high, 280m long earthfill dam with reservoir capacity of 4MCM had been completed.
He explained that the water component is the responsibility of the state government, noting that the dam has a 1MW hydropower component.
