HYPPADEC: Dredging of the Rivers Niger, Benue, and Kaduna will cost over $20 billion.

He claimed that without assistance from foreign donor organisations, the Federal Government would find it challenging to manage.

The dredging of the Rivers Benue, Niger, and Kaduna will cost more than $20 billion, according to Abubakar Yelwa, the Managing Director of HYPPADEC, the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission.

He claims that this has complicated calls for the dredging of the three rivers to stop recurring flooding in the affected areas.

This information was revealed by Mr. Yelwa on Thursday at the 2023 stakeholders meeting in Ilorin on issues relating to flood mitigation.

He claimed that without assistance from foreign donor organisations, the Federal Government would find it challenging to manage.

He added that the cost had astronomically increased by over 10 times since the federal government requested the cost of dredging the rivers in 1983, when it was estimated to cost $2 billion.

He claimed that the commission and the federal government were not responsible for the project’s funding.

“The dredging of River Niger or Benue, as the case may be, has always been repeatedly suggested in all the places we have visited.

”We have visited about five states including Kwara, almost all the states were asking for dredging.

“In 1983, when the former President, Shehu Shagari’s government asked for the cost of dredging of River Niger and Benue, a bill of $2 billion was given.

”You can imagine the scope now, even if the dollar had remained the same, the scope would have gone up 10 times. That is why it is difficult.

“It is not what HYPPADEC nor the federal government can do without making recourse to international organisations for intervention and that is what we are working towards to mobilise international donor agencies for intervention,” he said.

Yelwa stated that the commission would start an afforestation programme, where trees would be planted in five hectares of land in each of the five local government areas in the flood-prone Kwara North senatorial district, to lessen the impact of floods predicted for 2023 by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, or NIMET.

One of the participating civil society organisations, Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation, GLOHWOC, also spoke at the event and urged a multi-sectoral approach to reducing the flood in Kwara.

According to Christy Abayomi-Oluwole, CEO of the foundation, the Rapid Response team on flooding needs to be reviewed in order to address the problems associated with flooding and how it affects people who live in riverine areas.

Remilekun Banigbe, the Kwara Commissioner for the Environment, stated that if the impending flooding predicted by NIMET is not addressed promptly, there is a high risk that disease outbreaks and population displacement will result.

Segun Adeyemi, the state director of NOA, claimed that the way we manage our environment predisposes us to flood.

The NOA, according to him, will work in every local government area to educate people about what lies ahead.

The rapid response team should be reviewed to include necessary stakeholders who would look into various aspects of the flooding, according to Dr. Salihu Abdullahi, the Kwara Coordinator for the World Health Organisation, WHO.

Dr. Halliru Yahaya, the Emir of Shonga, who spoke at the meeting on behalf of traditional leaders, urged the mapping of flood-prone areas to lessen the effects.

Additionally, in order to maintain the sanity of the communities, Mr. Yahaya advised government organisations to uphold all environmental laws.

NAN

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Jairus Awo is a Nigeiran Muiltimedia public interest journalist. He believes in the power of the media as a catalyst to development and societal growth. You can tip him an idea on Jairus@themiddlebelt.ng

HYPPADEC: Dredging of the Rivers Niger, Benue, and Kaduna will cost over $20 billion.

The dredging of the Rivers Benue, Niger, and Kaduna will cost more than $20 billion, according to Abubakar Yelwa, the Managing Director of HYPPADEC, the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission.

He claims that this has complicated calls for the dredging of the three rivers to stop recurring flooding in the affected areas.

This information was revealed by Mr. Yelwa on Thursday at the 2023 stakeholders meeting in Ilorin on issues relating to flood mitigation.

He claimed that without assistance from foreign donor organisations, the Federal Government would find it challenging to manage.

He added that the cost had astronomically increased by over 10 times since the federal government requested the cost of dredging the rivers in 1983, when it was estimated to cost $2 billion.

He claimed that the commission and the federal government were not responsible for the project’s funding.

“The dredging of River Niger or Benue, as the case may be, has always been repeatedly suggested in all the places we have visited.

”We have visited about five states including Kwara, almost all the states were asking for dredging.

“In 1983, when the former President, Shehu Shagari’s government asked for the cost of dredging of River Niger and Benue, a bill of $2 billion was given.

”You can imagine the scope now, even if the dollar had remained the same, the scope would have gone up 10 times. That is why it is difficult.

“It is not what HYPPADEC nor the federal government can do without making recourse to international organisations for intervention and that is what we are working towards to mobilise international donor agencies for intervention,” he said.

One of the participating civil society organisations, Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation, GLOHWOC, also spoke at the event and urged a multi-sectoral approach to reducing the flood in Kwara.

According to Christy Abayomi-Oluwole, CEO of the foundation, the Rapid Response team on flooding needs to be reviewed in order to address the problems associated with flooding and how it affects people who live in riverine areas.

Remilekun Banigbe, the Kwara Commissioner for the Environment, stated that if the impending flooding predicted by NIMET is not addressed promptly, there is a high risk that disease outbreaks and population displacement will result.

Segun Adeyemi, the state director of NOA, claimed that the way we manage our environment predisposes us to flood.

The NOA, according to him, will work in every local government area to educate people about what lies ahead.

The rapid response team should be reviewed to include necessary stakeholders who would look into various aspects of the flooding, according to Dr. Salihu Abdullahi, the Kwara Coordinator for the World Health Organisation, WHO.

Dr. Halliru Yahaya, the Emir of Shonga, who spoke at the meeting on behalf of traditional leaders, urged the mapping of flood-prone areas to lessen the effects.

Additionally, in order to maintain the sanity of the communities, Mr. Yahaya advised government organisations to uphold all environmental laws.

NAN

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