Federal Government giving priority to hydrological improvements – Architect Umar, DG NIHSA

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Architect Umar Ibrahim Mohammed was appointed recently as the new Director General of the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency, (NIHSA). He said he is trying to contribute his quota in reviving the hydrological activities in Nigeria, especially the Lake Chad amongst Rivers and Dams.

By Ibraheem Hamza Muhammad

What is the mandate of Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA?

Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, (NIHSA) has a mission to provide hydrological data and services for sustainable water resources management, flood control, and drought mitigation.

It is mandated for hydrological data collection and analysis, flood forecasting and warning, drought monitoring and management, water resources assessment and planning and climate change adaptation and mitigation

Our services are hydrological data supply, flood alert and warning systems, water quality monitoring, hydrological modeling and simulation and capacity building and training

Our key activities are: River flow measurement, groundwater monitoring, rainfall and climate data collection, flood vulnerability assessment and water resources research and development

NIHSA plays a critical role in: Water resources management, flood control and mitigation, climate change adaptation, agricultural development, conomic growth and development

What are you doing to control flood?

NIHSA coordinates ground water being shared with seven other neighbouring countries, we have two major Rivers and when the rain water flows and reaches the confluence in Lokoja and then flows down south.But the river needs dredging, but what we need is we study the inflow of water from rain water and Dam releases. We had discussion with the with authorities in Cameroon over the Lagdo Dam managers, we urge them to start releasing water so that they will have space to contain it, so that our water level then will not flood and cause havoc as has been recurring.

President Bola Ahmed TInubu has the foresight that he mandates the Ministry of Water Resources to identify critical areas that needs to be dammed. About four Dams have been commissioned around Benue, Kebbi, where River Niger is coming into the country. And the one that will come from Lagdo Dam against any eventuality is on the way. And many more are on the way. We have rain water and Dam releases and if not well managed, it could lead to flood and adverse effects.

What is the relationship between NIHSA and Nigeria Inland Waterway NIWA?

NIHSA manages water while NIWA is in control of water transport in local rivers whether shallow or deep water.

What are you doing to avoid flood from Cameroon that devastates Nigeria’s eco system?

Flooding from Lagdo Dam has caused many havocs against the Nigerian eco system that leads to deaths and destroys houses, farms amongst others when it reaches location, when Rivers and dams needs dredging, we study the inflow of rain water and Dam releases.Since my assumption of office, I have liaised with the authorities in Cameroon to be releasing 100 square meters of water per second like a week before the rain and water in the Lagdo Dam goes higher.Plan is underway to build Dams to serve as buffer against flood like in Kebbi, Bayelsa and other states.

Are you concerned about indiscriminate sinking of boreholes across the country?

It is good to have surplus water, but Nigerians are over exploiting the system, we don’t need to have as many numbers of boreholes as evidence now, we need to have boleholes that will service 10 to 20 houses instead of having one borehole to every house. It is our mandate to monitor the availability of these boreholes within the ground waters. We have many layers of sand and if one borehole is contaminated, it will affect the other. Our concern is to check, observe and assess the quality and availability. There is now a committee under the Ministry of Water Resources that is tasked with the issue of sinking boreholes or responsibility is getting the number of boreholes in the country. This is to enable us on the level of extraction. We are concerned with the availability and quality of water. We gather data of water that comes and consumed in the country and informed government policies.The Federal Ministry of Water are the custodians of water policies and matters but we take assessment of Dams as it is known that Lake Chad is shared by many countries. Dams that dried down are about 190 out of 380 in the country.

What is NIHSA doing to dredge Dams that have either dried up or needs dredging?

We want to dredge Dams like those of Birnin Gwari amongst others. The resident has just commissioned committee on flood control. We urge states to participate in hydro related matters.

What are you doing to avoid a repeat of the Maiduguri Dam in Borno State that collapsed and destroyed live and property?

The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation are the custodians of all Dam infrastructure and handles the operations if all the Dams. We take tests to know the volume of water to know how the Dam is being desalted before Dam is built. We take measures of whether the Dam will be successful. We have many Dams that have dried off. There was no much studies and data gathered when the Dam was put up. It is better not to have a Dam that will dry so as to save money.We advise that an indepth study done before establishing a Dam. A source of water is good to sustain it, or deletion as what is happening in Lake Chad. It has gone so low. We are thinking of how to recharge it as it is shared between Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon.

How many Dams have dried up?

Out of about 380 Dams, about 190 have dried-off and President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is not relenting in his zeal to develop the country’s water for use in the growth and development of the country for agricultural purposes, water transportation amongst others.

What are the penalties against hydrological offences?

We want all hydrologists to abide by the ethics of the profession and for all activities to be conceived and executed according the international best practice and if otherwise, a penalty awaits the person.

What is the stand on Nigeria over the verbal exchanges and near open confrontation between Egypt and Ethiopia over River Nile?

Nigeria is calling on Egypt and Ethiopia to adopt dialogue over River Nile by emulating Nigeria over Lake Chad, Cameroon. We are calling on Egypt and Ethiopia to avoid all types of confrontations and adopt dialogue over the claims of flow of water between the two countries over the hydrological use of River Nile.

Water is essential to the peoples’ life and should be used for many good use through understanding, respect and dialogue devoid of tension because the issue over the hydro Dam being built in Ethiopia on River Nile which is causing verbal confrontation between the country and Egypt. We are happy that international organizations like the African Union amongst others for both countries to resolve the issue amicably respectively.