The Kaduna State Government has commenced the dredging of 4,000 metres of River Kaduna to expand its capacity and curb the perennial flooding that has plagued the state in previous years.
Mrs Linda Yakubu, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, explained that the dredging would cover Barnawa, Living Faith axis, and other flood-prone areas along the river in order to restore normalcy in the affected areas.
A swamp buggy, according to her, has been procured, which has been approved by Gov. Uba Sani, to effectively carry out the dredging as part of measures to prevent displacement of residents and destruction of property that has been the order of the affected areas years past.
In marking the state’s first independent flood-control intervention, she stated that the swamp buggy was inaugurated earlier this year, stressing that a similar dredging exercise was completed around Airport Road, Kutungari, in June to ease water flow and protect homes and investments in the area from destruction.
Yakubu expressed confidence that tributaries emptying into River Kaduna would also be cleared and be a thing of the past, stressing that the government’s long-term goal was to improve the river’s carrying capacity.
She warned residents against dumping refuse into waterways, assuring that mobile courts would sanction offenders when monthly sanitation would resume in October, with a view to ensuring citizens comply with the government’s directive.
An Assistant Chief Disaster Risk Reduction Officer at the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mrs. Ikramat Muazu, explained that the dredging was a vital preventive action against flooding as preventive measures were cheaper and safer than emergency responses.
Proactive steps such as dredging, she said, would save lives and reduce government spending on relief measures, assuring that NEMA would intensify collaboration with state agencies to ensure the exercise translated into lasting flood control and community resilience.
Mr. Michael Balai-Ibrahim of the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, said the swamp buggy would help remove sandbars and debris, ensuring smooth water flow and reducing flood risks. He added that NIWA will continue to regulate river users and enforce safety measures to prevent dumping of refuse and other harmful practices that worsen flooding.
To sustain the benefits of the dredging, NIWA pledged technical support to the state in order to ensure effective maintenance of the waterways.
Govt begins dredging of River Kaduna to curb perennial flooding
