Editor
By Fatima Saka
The Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, has reassured the public that the Dadin-Kowa Dam in Gombe State is in impeccable condition, devoid of any threats to its functionality.
During the inspection visit to the dam on Wednesday, Prof. Utsev, accompanied by the Honourable Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, and a team of hydrological experts, addressed recent apprehensions regarding the dam’s stability.
Prof. Utsev underscored that the dam undergoes meticulous daily surveillance and routine inspections to guarantee its ongoing safety and efficiency.
He verified that the dam is operating at peak performance, facilitating hydroelectric power generation, irrigation, and water supply, with all essential infrastructure elements, including the spillway and penstock, operating as intended.
In his discourse, the Minister reiterated the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation’s dedication to maintaining water infrastructure throughout Nigeria.
He urged the populace to disregard any baseless speculations about the dam’s condition and assured that the Ministry is steadfast in delivering precise and timely updates on all water infrastructure projects, while continuously enhancing the mandate of agricultural productivity, job creation, and economic progress.
Prof. Utsev also underscored the ongoing advantages of the Dadin-Kowa Dam through the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMMING) Project and the forthcoming Sustainable Power and Irrigation in Nigeria (SPIN) project, both aimed at augmenting irrigation, dam safety, and power generation at a national scale.
Echoing the Minister’s assertions, the Honourable Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, emphasized the significance of accurate information and expert consultation to combat the dissemination of misinformation.
He reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to safeguarding critical national assets in accordance with the administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Engr. Caleb Tyowuah, Acting Managing Director of the Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority, affirmed that the Dadin-Kowa Dam, boasting a live storage capacity of 1.77 million cubic meters, exhibits no integrity issues and is effectively irrigating 2100 hectares out of the planned 30,000 hectares of land, while also generating 40 megawatts of electricity.
Mr. Jayaharan Paul, Project Manager at Mabon Energy Limited, overseeing the Dadin Kowa Hydro Power Plant, also corroborated the dam’s sturdy condition and its substantial contribution to the region’s electricity supply.
The inspection tour was attended by the Director General of NIHSA, Hon. Umar Ibrahim Mohammed, senior Ministry officials, managing directors of River Basin Development Authorities, water resources experts, and technical engineers.
