From Okwe Obi & Uwubiti Efemena
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has said there was no standing budget to assist those that would be affected by the opening of the Lagdo Dam, by Cameroon.
The Cameroonian government had alerted Nigeria that the Lagdo Dam would be released for excess water to run out.
NEMA’s Director General Mustapha Habib Ahmed, at a national emergency coordination forum, yesterday in Abuja, said the level of disaster would determine what would be budgeted to assist victims.
Ahmed, however, said the impact of the disaster would not be too grievous because of the preparedness of most states with regards to clearing of drainage, clearing of water channels, de-silting of rivers and the provision of temporary shelters to support the states.
He said: “We do not have any standing budget for this project yet. As we are all aware, Lagdo Dam was opened and closed.
“The extend of the damage will not be immediately be known. It is after the flood season, we can do the assessment we will know what is damaged and what the damage will be.
“Activating of IDP camps is the responsibility of the states. We have advised them accordingly.
“As you are aware we met with Governors’ Forum, we gave them all the advices that need to be given and all the states have been proactive. So, we will probably see a lot of difference this time around.
“Clearing of drainage, clearing of water channels, de-silting the rivers. We are providing temporary shelters to support the states. But those states have to provide the IDP camps.”
The Director General of Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NISHA), Clement Nze, explained that the Cameroonian authorities commenced release of water from Lagdo Dam by 10.10 a.m on 14% of August 2023.
“The water level at our monitoring station in Makurdi, Benue State was 8.99m as against 9.75m that was recorded on same date in 2022.
“This indicated a reduction in the observed flow of last week and normal flow In the flow of River Benue system.
“The flow level on the River Niger system Is considerably stable as well. The level of River Niger at Niamey (Niger Republic), upstream Nigeria, is normal with a flow level of 4.35m.
“Situation reports from the nland dams (Kainji and Jebba) on River Niger and Shiroro on River Kaduna Indicated @ normal flow regme The present reservoir level at Kainji dam ts 134. 64m (maximum reservoir level is 141 83m).
“This shows that there Is room to impound waters into the reservoir from the upstre m as the inflow increases on the River Niger system.
“The flow level at our monitoring station downstream of the Confluence of the two transboundary rivers (Niger and Benue) in Lokoja, Kogi State, was 8.66m as against 8.36m that was recorded on same date in 2022.
“Though still within the normal range, the increase in flow level is due to the internal runoff that were generated from the inland rivers due to their increased flow levels occasioned by their catchment rainfall patterns,” he added.