Reps urge FG to build buffer dam in Adamawa

The House of Representatives on Thursday urged the Federal Government to build a buffer dam in Adamawa State in a bid to mitigate against flooding from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.

The release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam in 2012 led to the death of 53 people in 13 states of Nigeria, displacement of over 100,420 others and paralysing of economic activities and losses of properties estimated at N2.6 trillion.

The affected states were: Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, Rivers, Taraba, Niger, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Adamawa, Kogi, and riverine parts of Ebonyi.

The resolution was passed following the adoption of a motion co-sponsored by Igariwey Enwo (PDP-Ebonyi) and Sadiq Ibrahim (APC-Adamawa), which was unanimously adopted by the House.

In his lead debate, Enwo noted that lowland communities in Nigeria were usually threatened by flooding, whenever the Cameroonian authorities opened the floodgates of the Ladge Dam for release of excess water.

Enwo explained “when Cameroon built the Lagdo Dam in 1982, the government of Nigeria was advised to build a buffer dam downstream.”

He added that the multi-purpose dam is also expected to generate some 300 megawatts of electricity, irrigate about 150,000 hectares of land and provide employment opportunities for 40,000 families.

On his part, Sadiq Ibrahim, co-sponsor of the motion, explained that the new buffer dam would serve as a shock absorber to the devastating effects of yearly release of water.

According to him, a suitable site for the construction of the buffer dam was chosen in Dasin village in Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

Since the Cameroonian authorities insisted that they would continue to release excess water to avoid the collapse of Lagdo Dam, the construction of the Dasin Housa Dam, therefore, remained urgent, he said.

Following the adoption of he motion, the House urged the Federal Ministries of Water Resources and Environment to revisit and update the original design and feasibility of Dasin Dam done in 1982, and take necessary measures to ensure the award of contract for construction of the dam without further delay to save Nigeria from further avoidable disaster.