From LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin
Managing director, Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), Alhaji Abubakar Yelwa, on Thursday said that clamour by Nigerians for the dredging of Rivers Niger, Benue and Kaduna to check perennial flooding in affected areas will be difficult for the federal government to handle without intervention from international donor agencies.
Speaking at the 2023 stakeholders meeting on flood mitigation and other related issues in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, the HYPPADEC boss said that the estimated cost for dredging of the rivers as at 1983 when the federal government asked for the cost was $2billion, adding that the cost had astronomically gone up over 10 times.
The HYPPADEC MD, who was responding to suggestions from participants at the meeting for the dredging of the rivers as part of solutions to the annual flood disaster affecting riverine communities under the commission’s areas of focus, said that the funding of the project was beyond the commission and the federal government.
“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 Sheu Shagari government asked for the cost of dredging of River Niger and Benue, a bill of $2billion was given. That was in 1983. 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 can fund, and not even the federal government without making recourse to international organisations for intervention and that is what we are working towards to mobilisze international donor agencies for intervention”.
To mitigate 2023 flood prediction by the Nigerian Metreological Agency, Yelwa said the commission would embark on aforestration programme, adding that trees would be planted in five hectares of land in each of the five local government areas in Kwara North senatorial district, being flood- proned area of the state.
Also speaking, one of the civil society organizations at the event, Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOWHWOC), called for multi-sectoral approach towards mitigating flood in Kwara state.
Speaking through its team lead, Christy Abayomi-Oluwole, the organization also said that Rapid Response team on flooding should be reviewed towards addressing challenges associated with flooding and their effects on dwellers of riverine areas.