The Minister for Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, has clarified that no water release from Kainji and Jebba Dams caused the flooding and deaths in Mokwa, Niger State.
Utsev made the rebuttal on Tuesday during a press conference held in Abuja, saying the flood was caused basically because of a lack of adherence by people in the state to flood warnings.
He extended the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation’s heartfelt sympathy and solidarity to the government and the good people of Niger State, especially the affected communities in Mokwa, who have experienced losses, deaths and displacements as a result of this natural disaster.
According to him, “I like to emphasize that the flood was not caused by water releases from either the Kainji or Jebba dams and that both dams are intact and safe.”
He commended the immediate response efforts of the Niger State Government, local authorities, and first responders who have been working tirelessly to provide relief and support to the victims.
The Minister stated that the flood in Mokwa town was primarily caused by heavy rainfall due to extreme weather conditions occasioned by Climate change, an emerging Global Phenomenon which overwhelmed local drainage systems.
Additionally, Utsev observed that unregulated buildings and construction activities blocked an ephemeral tributary of River Dingi, a regressive river, a tributary of the River Niger, which remains dry almost all year round with flows solely dependent on surface runoff by rainfall.
The absence of efficient alternative pathways to redirect the excess water, he said, further worsened the flood’s impact on the communities.
