Nigerian Engineers Recommend Construction of Dam To Tackle Flooding
Chioma Eche, Abuja
The Nigeria Society of Engineers, NSE, has called for the construction of Immediate construction of Flood Control Dams along the rivers Niger and Benue in response to flooding likely to be occasioned by the release of the Lagdo dam in Cameroon.
Also, the society has urged the federal government to take priority and commence the construction of the Dasin Hausa dam in Adamawa State, north-East Nigeria.
The President of Nigeria Society of Engineers, Tasiu Gidari-Wudil, made the call at a press briefing in Abuja, the nations capital, stressing that dredging of major Rivers should be intensified to reduce sedimentation while the excavated materials be utilized for construction of flood protection walls and land reclamation in the immediate vicinity.
According to him, the government should enforce existing policies and initiate legislation to protect the environment from the activities of man, occasioned by industrialisation and urbanisation, as well as climate change.
He said flooding has become a recurring problem in certain areas in Nigeria, and the Nigeria Society of Engineers believes that constructing additional dams can provide effective solutions to mitigate the impact of floods in the country.
“After the 2012 flooding incident, several committees were set up by governments at the federal level and the respective states affected by the flood. Also, in November 2022, the federal government inaugurated a presidential committee on flood disasters. The mandate of the committees was to conduct research and develop comprehensive action plans for preventing flood disasters in Nigeria”
“As it stands today, the recommendations of studies conducted by the committees are yet to be fully implemented/and Flood can not be prevented; it can only be managed to reduce its devastating consequences”
On the issues of incessant building collapse in the country, Gidari-Wudil attributed the persistent occurrences of building collapses across the country to the private sector’s involvement, accusing them of undermining building standards by employing unqualified individuals in the construction process.
“If you take the statistics of building collapse in the country in the last 20 years, government buildings involved in collapse is just 10 per cent, it is private sectors that are compromising in the sector.
He said ” this is why government projects are more expensive because they make use of professionals but in private projects, the prices are usually beaten down and as such will employ the services of someone who is not an Engineer”
” In all building collapses in this country, only a few of these incidences involve our members, and once we know, they are sanctioned”
Speaking further on the recent ministerial appointments, the NSE boss said President Bola Tinubu appointed three engineers in his ministerial portfolios, adding that the number was grossly inadequate considering the country having over eight Engineering-based Ministries.
He further called on Tinubu to increase the number in future considerations saying “We hold the strong conviction that only engineers will function out rightly in the Engineering Ministries.”
On petroleum subsidy removal, he said that as much as the society supports the removal, adequate measures were not put in place to mitigate the effects on Nigerians.
The NSE president also said that the society had aligned itself with the Federal Government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy to establish an innovation hub that would become the “Silicon Valley” of Nigeria in the nearest future.
Smart Innovation Hub
“As the world progresses into the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution, we have envisioned the NSE Smart Innovation Hub as a catalyst for a digital Nigeri
Nigerian Engineers Recommend Construction of Dam To Tackle Flooding
Chioma Eche, Abuja
The Nigeria Society of Engineers, NSE, has called for the construction of Immediate construction of Flood Control Dams along the rivers Niger and Benue in response to flooding likely to be occasioned by the release of the Lagdo dam in Cameroon.
Also, the society has urged the federal government to take priority and commence the construction of the Dasin Hausa dam in Adamawa State, north-East Nigeria.
The President of Nigeria Society of Engineers, Tasiu Gidari-Wudil, made the call at a press briefing in Abuja, the nations capital, stressing that dredging of major Rivers should be intensified to reduce sedimentation while the excavated materials be utilized for construction of flood protection walls and land reclamation in the immediate vicinity.
According to him, the government should enforce existing policies and initiate legislation to protect the environment from the activities of man, occasioned by industrialisation and urbanisation, as well as climate change.
He said flooding has become a recurring problem in certain areas in Nigeria, and the Nigeria Society of Engineers believes that constructing additional dams can provide effective solutions to mitigate the impact of floods in the country.
“After the 2012 flooding incident, several committees were set up by governments at the federal level and the respective states affected by the flood. Also, in November 2022, the federal government inaugurated a presidential committee on flood disasters. The mandate of the committees was to conduct research and develop comprehensive action plans for preventing flood disasters in Nigeria”
“As it stands today, the recommendations of studies conducted by the committees are yet to be fully implemented/and Flood can not be prevented; it can only be managed to reduce its devastating consequences”
On the issues of incessant building collapse in the country, Gidari-Wudil attributed the persistent occurrences of building collapses across the country to the private sector’s involvement, accusing them of undermining building standards by employing unqualified individuals in the construction process.
“If you take the statistics of building collapse in the country in the last 20 years, government buildings involved in collapse is just 10 per cent, it is private sectors that are compromising in the sector.
He said “this is why government projects are more expensive because they make use of professionals but in private projects, the prices are usually beaten down and as such will employ the services of someone who is not an Engineer”
” In all building collapses in this country, only a few of these incidences involve our members, and once we know, they are sanctioned”
Speaking further on the recent ministerial appointments, the NSE boss said President Bola Tinubu appointed three engineers in his ministerial portfolios, adding that the number was grossly inadequate considering the country having over eight Engineering-based Ministries.
He further called on Tinubu to increase the number in future considerations saying “We hold the strong conviction that only engineers will function out rightly in the Engineering Ministries.”
On petroleum subsidy removal, he said that as much as the society supports the removal, adequate measures were not put in place to mitigate the effects on Nigerians.
The NSE president also said that the society had aligned itself with the Federal Government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy to establish an innovation hub that would become the “Silicon Valley” of Nigeria in the nearest future.
Smart Innovation Hub
“As the world progresses into the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution, we have envisioned the NSE Smart Innovation Hub as a catalyst for a digital Nigeria, aligning with the federal government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy”
”Realising that a SMART office project is a growing concern that requires time and continuous improvement, I have set up a trustee to undertake all it takes to bring the project to full attainment”
”However, I am happy to announce to you that we have reached an appreciable stage and by the grace of God, the ‘NSE SMART INNOVATION HUB’ will be officially launched on Wednesday, September 13, 2023,” he said
He explained that the hub would serve as a centre for Research and Development on Technology and Innovation challenges and improving business.
Gidari-Wudil, noted that the hub would be a model to impact positively on the economic and technological development of the country.
The NSE President also added that the smart hub would include an Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Laboratory, Automation and Engineering Laboratory, Virtual/Physical Offices and e-Library and others.e
Recall that the Director of the African Affairs, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Umar Salisu, said in a letter dated August 21, 2023, that the Ministry received a note from the High Commission of Cameroon as regards the opening of the dam.?
The letter, which was addressed to the National Emergency Management Agency, read in part, “I have the honour to inform that the ministry is in receipt of a Note Verbale from the High Commission of the Republic of Cameroon informing that Cameroonian officials have resolved to open the flood gates of the Lagdo Dam on the Benue River in days ahead due to the heavy rainfall around the dam catchment area in Northern Cameroon.”
Shakirat Sadiq
a, aligning with the federal government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy”
”Realising that a SMART office project is a growing concern that requires time and continuous improvement, I have set up a trustee to undertake all it takes to bring the project to full attainment”
”However, I am happy to announce to you that we have reached an appreciable stage and by the grace of God, the ‘NSE SMART INNOVATION HUB’ will be officially launched on Wednesday, September 13, 2023,” he said
He explained that the hub would serve as a centre for Research and Development on Technology and Innovation challenges and improving business.
Gidari-Wudil, noted that the hub would be a model to impact positively on the economic and technological development of the country.
The NSE President also added that the smart hub would include an Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Laboratory, Automation and Engineering Laboratory, Virtual/Physical Offices and e-Library and others.e
Recall that the Director of the African Affairs, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Umar Salisu, said in a letter dated August 21, 2023, that the Ministry received a note from the High Commission of Cameroon as regards the opening of the dam.?
The letter, which was addressed to the National Emergency Management Agency, read in part, “I have the honour to inform that the ministry is in receipt of a Note Verbale from the High Commission of the Republic of Cameroon informing that Cameroonian officials have resolved to open the flood gates of the Lagdo Dam on the Benue River in days ahead due to the heavy rainfall around the dam catchment area in Northern Cameroon.”
Shakirat Sadiq
