The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, has assured Nigerians that the ongoing upgrade of the Alau Dam in Borno State will provide long-term solutions to flooding, improve water supply, and support agricultural productivity in the region.
Prof. Utsev gave the assurance during a working visit to the dam site in Maiduguri, where he led a high-level delegation from the Ministry to inspect the progress of construction.
According to a statement released by the Ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Mrs.
Funmi Imuetinyan, the Minister explained that the first phase of the project focused on flood mitigation began in March 2025 and is scheduled for completion by September 2025.
The second phase, a full-scale upgrade of the dam, is expected to commence in October 2025 and be completed by March 2027.
He emphasized that the project was approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu under the Renewed Hope Agenda, describing it as a vital intervention not only to avert future disasters but to reposition the dam as a multipurpose infrastructure.
“This intervention is critical, not just to prevent another disaster, but to reposition this dam as a multipurpose facility for drinking water, irrigation, and even hydro-power generation in the near future,” Utsev said.
He recalled the tragic flooding incident at the Alau Dam in September 2024, which resulted in the loss of lives and destruction of infrastructure and property worth billions of naira.
The ongoing reconstruction, he noted, is aimed at ensuring that such a disaster does not happen again.
During the inspection, the Minister visited the dam’s main gated spillway and the cofferdam area, where he observed the contractor currently reinforcing the structure.
He confirmed that water levels were stable and assured the public that there was no immediate cause for concern.
He commended the contractor for adhering to professional standards and timelines and ordered adjustments to the dam gates to ensure controlled water release during the rainy season.
Utsev also called on the Borno State Government to step up public sensitisation, especially among farmers cultivating along the dam embankment a practice he warned could endanger both workers and the structure.
“We understand that some farmers are still cultivating around the dam embankment, which poses a serious risk to both the workers and the infrastructure,” he cautioned. “We are appealing to the State Government to begin a strong awareness campaign to stop this.”
The Minister expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his unwavering support for the project, and to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for his steadfast commitment to the people of Borno State.
He stressed that the upgraded dam would be a game-changer for water security and agriculture in the Northeast, and commended the media for their efforts in disseminating information about government initiatives.
As part of the visit, Prof. Utsev also inspected the River Ngada on the Lagos Bridge, which is hydrologically connected to the Alau Dam, to better understand the region’s broader water system.
The Minister later paid a courtesy call on Governor Zulum at the Government House, Maiduguri, to brief him on the purpose of the inspection.
He was accompanied by key ministry officials, including the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah; Director of Dams and Reservoirs, Engr. Ali Dallah; Director of River Basin Operations and Inspectorate, Engr. Christy Oduh; and other senior staff.
They were joined by the Borno State Commissioner for Water Resources, Engr. Tijani Alkali, and other state representatives.
