The Nasarawa State Government has released over ₦161 million for the construction of canals aimed at tackling flooding, particularly in Lafia, the state capital.
The General Manager of the Nasarawa State Water Board, Dr. Kana Ahmed-Abubakar, disclosed this in an interview with Voice of Nigeria in Lafia.
He explained that the measure is part of proactive steps to mitigate the impact of flooding, following predictions by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) of imminent floods in several states, including Nasarawa.
Dr. Ahmed-Abubakar said Governor Abdullahi Sule approved the contract, adding that the Israeli government has also granted approval for the dredging of the Ambar River to expand its capacity to absorb water and reduce flood risk.
“We are creating a lot of canals that can carry all runoff water in Lafia and empty it into the main drain, the River Ambar,” he said.
The GM noted that the Maraba area of Karu Local Government, home to about 60% of Abuja’s workforce, faces severe flooding due to a lack of urban planning and its location on a basement complex.
“Maraba has no gazetted master plan. Buildings are erected indiscriminately, and solving this problem will require a concerted, interdisciplinary, and inter-ministerial effort,” he stated.
According to him, lasting solutions may include the demolition of some buildings and the construction of underground drains as part of an engineering approach to address the flooding challenge.