The acting Managing Director of Upper Benue River Basin Authority Engr. Alex Tyowua has blamed human activities for the massive flooding ravaging the country.
Tyowua, who spoke with our correspondent on Tuesday via a telephone call, said dams could not cause flooding because they are professionally managed by the authorities responsible for maintaining dams.
Rather, he stressed that deforestation and the blockage of waterways with unapproved building structures and indiscriminate bush clearing, coupled with the climate change being currently experienced are among some of the factors that have caused the flooding is take place in the different parts of the country.
“When it rains the forests absorb the water, but when the forest is destroyed by farmers and those cutting down trees for charcoal and other uses; these people and activities are the main people causing what we are witnessing today as flooding,” he said.
He pointed out that the lack of land use plans by the various government authorities also creates room for people to carry out constructions on prohibited areas, like waterways.
Tyowua added, “In other countries, people are not allowed to build in low areas. You can be allowed to build on a highland, and the government will provide all the social amenities needed by the people.”
He disclosed that “by law, 4000 cubic metrics of water is expected to be released every second,” Tyowua however noted that, “this is not the case as only 2000 or below is released due to the poor land use attitude of some people.”
Arewa PUNCH reports that the Kiri Dam was constructed in 1982 and it is 25 kilometres upstream of its confluence with River Benue at Numan.
The reservoir has a capacity of 615 million cubic metrics of water. It is the main source of Dangote Sugar refinery located in Numan.
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