The National Economic Council (NEC) has directed the federal ministry of water resources and sanitation to conduct a comprehensive integrity review of Nigeria’s waterways and dams.

Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state said this on Thursday while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after the NEC meeting.

The meeting was presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The governor explained that this initiative aims to mitigate the devastating impact of flooding.

He noted that the minister of water resources and sanitation, Joseph Utsev, had informed NEC members about the federal government’s intervention activities across the country.

According to Mr Soludo, after receiving the minister’s presentation, NEC resolved that the ministry should conduct an integrity review of all waterways and dams nationwide.

“There was a strong emphasis on the need for a comprehensive dredging programme for the waterways,” he stated.

The council also urged governors who have not submitted their reports on flooding and management in their states to do so immediately.

It emphasised that the Green Climate Fund should include an infrastructure resilience component.

Mr Soludo pointed out that critical regions of the country, particularly the South-East and South-South, have been severely affected by flooding but have been omitted from ongoing dam construction programmes.

He said it was intended to act as barriers along major highways, especially along the River Niger.

Mr Soludo mentioned that the council reviewed the national emergency response and the coordination between states and the federal government regarding damage assessments and outlined further steps to be taken.

“To date, about 34 states have been affected, encompassing 217 local governments, with 1,374,557 people impacted.

“Additionally, 740,743 individuals have been displaced nationwide, 321 people have died, 2,845 have been injured, and 250,800 acres of cultivated farmland have been destroyed due to rapid flooding”.

(NAN)