The Federal Government Technical Committee on Evaluation of Dams has visited Ikere Gorge Dam in the Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo for an on-the-spot assessment to ascertain the project level.

Ali Ibrahim, the director of dams and reservoirs at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, made this known on Saturday in Ibadan.

Mr Ibrahim, who led the technical sub-committee on the visit, said that the recent collapse of a section of the spillway of Alau dam in Maiduguri, Borno State, necessitated the evaluation of dams across the country.

According to him, the sub-committee, comprised of inter-ministerial technical members, is mandated to undertake a detailed assessment of dams in Nigeria.

He said the exercise was to determine the dams’ structural integrity, impact on downstream conditions, and social and environmental conditions in rural communities.

Speaking on the subcommittee’s findings on the Ikere Gorge dam, Mr Ibrahim said, “The 41-year-old Ikere Gorge dam, though has operational and maintenance challenges, appears to be in good condition.

“The dam is intact and safe but requires minor rehabilitation, which is the vegetation on the dam that needs to be removed.

“The findings on the dam will form a robust action plan that will help to combat the challenges facing the dam structure,” he stated.

The project manager of the Ikere Gorge dam, Oluyemi Adekunle, said the dam was a multi-purpose one constructed by the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority.

Mr Adekunle said the dam was designed to generate six megawatts of electricity, control floods, for fishing, irrigation, recreation activities, and educational research.

He described the inspection of the dam as a welcome development, saying the sub-committee’s recommendation would make the project come up fully soonest.

Mr Adekunle urged the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, fix the road from Iseyin to the dam, adding that security of the project was also important.

(NAN)