FG rehabilitates 15 dams from 2016 to date – Minister

The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said the ministry has rehabilitated 15 dams from 2016 to date.

The minister said this at the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) Presentation of Scorecard in the Water Sector on Monday in Abuja.

Adamu who said that water sector infrastructure in the country is predicated on four main components identified the components as dams sub-sector, water supply sub-sector, irrigation and sanitation.

He listed the rehabilitated and completed dams as Kashimbilla Multipurpose Dam, Taraba amounting to 500 Million CM, Gini Dam, Kaduna State 4.5 million CM, Kargo Dam, Kaduna State 2.3 MCM, Challawa Dam, Kano State 790MCM, Adada Dam and Enugu State 1.4MCM.

Others are Sulma Dam, Katsina State 4.0 MCM, Ibiono-Ibom Dam, Akwa Ibom 0.3 MCM, Ogwashi-Uku Dam, Delta State 4 MCM, Kampe Omi Dam, Kogi State, 250 MCM among others.

Adamu who identified number of dams located across the country as 400 said they have the capacity of providing 11.2 Billion Cubic Metres (BCM) of water for irrigation, 900 million CM for water supply and 18 billion CM for hydropower generation.

According to him, improved management and operations of the dams since 2015 has resulted in an increase of 1.8 BCM of impounded water across various dams and reservoirs spread around the country bringing the total volume of impounded water to 30.1 BCM.

The minister who identified proposed hydropower projects by the ministry as 11 listed the projects as Gurara 11 Hydropower Project in Niger State of 360 Million Watt (MW), Lokoja, Kogi State 750 MW and Mangu, Plateau State, 182 MW.

Also, Tede, Oyo State, 220 MW, Manya Hydropower Project, Taraba, 182 MW, Farin-Ruwa Hydropower Project, Nasarawa State 20 M, Katsina-Ala Hydropower Project, Benue State, 460 MW, Kiri Hydropower Project Adamawa, 36 MW.

Others are Makurdi Hydropower Project, Benue State, 1.500 MW, Bakwarku Hydropower Project, Benue and Itisi Hydropower Project, Kaduna State 40 MW.