Reactions have trailed the plans by the federal government to build buffer dams to address incessant floods in Nigeria.
In a interview on Channels Television on Thursday, the Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Mr Umar Muhammed, said the agency has sent proposal to the federal government regarding the plan.
This came on the heels of the recent flooding disaster in Maiduguri destroying lives and properties.
Speaking, Mr Umar revealed that the Cameroonian authorities have already started releasing water from the Lagdo dam, calling people in flood-prone areas to relocate.
He noted, “What has to be done is that there is a report that has been submitted to the Presidency. We need to have buffer dams and five have been proposed and the federal government looking at that already.
For now, some of our dams have to be distilled. The tributaries of the Rivers Niger and Benue have to be expanded.”
Reacting to the development on the social media, several netizens have described the plans as medicine after death.
They stressed the need for the federal government to pay attention to how the old dams would be maintained, branding construction of new ones as an opportunity for officials to loot public funds.
Below are some of these responses.
Davidogbe reacted, “First, have they repaired the old ones that needs to be repaired due to lack of proper maintenance?
It’s a dam season now they want to follow the trend by deceiving people and looting money through the announcement of building new dams. All the money Borna State have received is enough to bring back that state from the scratch but hell no, it won’t happen cus the monies are probably being looted as we speak.”
Iyke noted, “Budget for the dams: 100 billion naira. After 10 years, not one dam is built. It’ll be another means to loot this country.”
Magazine Afrique lamented, “This government loves medicine after death a lot. Like are these not suppose to be in place before ? Who is accounting for all the budget allocated to that department?
Someone has to be held accountable and responsible for the lives lost due to negligence, incompetence and mismanagement.”
Newton said, “Another update to embezzle funds, Omo cash out season for these guys.”
