June 08, (THEWILL) – The Managing Director of National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC), Abubakar Yelwa, on Thursday, disclosed that the Federation Government expended the sum of N1.9 billion on the first and second phases of the Idye Flood Control/Dyke project in Nyiman, Makurdi.
Yelwa made the disclosure when the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, inaugurated the project in Makurdi on Thursday.
He noted that N700 million was earlier spent during the first phase, while approximately N1.2 billion was later expended, including additional excavation of 2.5km to salvage the lower basin of the community.
According to him, the Federal Government hastened the completion of the project to safeguard Benue communities and the livelihoods of the people.
He decried the devastating effect of flooding, saying, “For years, the residents of Makurdi and other parts of Benue State have endured annual flooding that has consumed thousands of homes and farmlands, displacing numerous families.
“The 2022 Benue floods were even more tragic. In 2022, the Benue State Emergency Management Agency reported that the floods consumed about 18,349 houses and farmlands, displacing a total of 134,797 people.
“This staggering impact shows the urgent need to take decisive action to safeguard the communities and the livelihoods of people in the state.
“Successive governments at both federal and state levels have made frantic efforts to manage this crisis and mitigate its impact on the people and the environment.”
The Minister of Water Resources and Environment, Prof. Joseph Utsev, who represented Senator Akume at the ceremony, noted that the President Bola Tinubu administration has put measures in place through the Ministry to provide water infrastructure all over the country.
The SGF, who said Benue people are the greatest beneficiaries of President Tinubu’s administration, urged them to continue to have hope in him for better things to come to the state.
In his remarks, Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, who was represented at the ceremony by his Deputy, Dr. Sam Odeh, said the environmental challenges threatened not only the agricultural productivity of the state but also the safety of the people.
“In this context, the Idye flood control/dyke project is not just a necessity but a beacon of hope for our communities,” he said.
He said Benue will continue to present additional proposals aimed at expanding the scope of N-HYPPADEC activities within these challenges.
He pointed out that the Benue State Government consistently played a significant role in supervising and ensuring the standard of the project and will remain committed to providing technical expertise and support to ensure the project’s sustainability.
Doctor Odeh, on behalf of the Government and people of Benue State, commended President Tinubu for the project and other good things enjoyed by the state, assuring synergy for a better tomorrow.
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