THE Federal Government has said water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon is not responsible for the flooding that has devastated parts of Nigeria.
While the Senate Committee on Water Resources, like many Nigerians, was of the view that water released from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon was responsible for the devastating flood in many parts of the country, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said that was not the case.
The minister said the flood is due to water flowing from tributaries like River Katsina Ala and others flowing into River Benue due to the consistent downpour.
“Yes the dam releases water; sometimes it releases water without notice and when they do that, it has impact on communities downstream. “It is not the main reason you have flood in this country.
“The tributaries of River Benue are the main cause. And this year, the rains have been unprecedented.
“The trans-boundary water that even comes into this country from Rivers Niger and Benue constitutes only 20 per cent of the fresh water that flows into the country.
“Eighty per cent of the flood is water we are blessed with from the sky falling on Mambila and Jos Plateau.
“Most of this flow is from Nigeria. You cannot stop flooding, it’s a natural phenomenon; just like you cannot stop earthquake,” he said.
