The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved a total of N78.350billion for the construction and rehabilitation of the Buruku/Gboko Water Supply project in Benue State and the Greater Dutse Water Supply Project in Jigawa State.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation Profeasor Joseph Utsev disclosed this while briefing State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa after the council meeting presided by President Bola Tinubu.

“FEC approved the award of contract for construction of the Greater Dutse Water Supply Project in Jigawa State at the total contract sum of ₦59,457,319,900.94.

“Council also approved the award of contract for the Rehabilitation of the Buruku/Gboko Water Supply Project in Benue State at the total sum of ₦18,893,279,411.42,” Professor Utsev noted.

According to the Minister, both water supply schemes will be powered by Solar energy systems as a deliberate effort to reduce carbon emissions and the impact of climate change.

He explained that “In today’s FEC meeting, council approved the award of contract for the construction of Greater Dutse water supply project in Jigawa State and this is aimed at serving about 1.5 million people of Jigawa State.

“This will be powered using Solar energy to reduce carbon dioxide emission. As you know, this is a key factor in bringing about climate change. So, with the introduction of solar energy in powering this system, that can be eradicated and as well, and it will reduce the menace of flooding in that particular vicinity.”

“Again, FEC approved the award of contract for the rehabilitation of the Burku/Gboko water supply project in Benue State.

“The project in Benue will also be powered by Solar energy. This is envisaged as servicing about 506,000 residents within the Amaladu axis that will spin to Gboko, Ushongo, and other parts of Buruku local government,” the Water Resources Minister added.

Speaking on the intervention of the Federal Government regarding recent incidences of dams collapse in the country, the Minister said that at the moment, a committee was moving round to assess the state of all critical dams with the aim of putting them back to shape to avert a reoccurrence in the future of the impact of flooding.

“At the moment, the committee has been constituted into two teams. Team A and team B. The team A is now in Bauchi State. They were in Plateau State yesterday. They are Bauchi now and will be moving to Gombe State. From Gombe State, they will proceed to Adamawa State while team B moves to Delta State.

“Today, they are in Enugu State and will be moving to Cross River State. That is how they are moving round and by the grace of God, we are going to cover critical dams across the country before we go onto the second phase, where the report will generated for Nigerians and briefing will be going out. “

Professor Utsev explained that on the 24th September 2024, FEC constituted a technical committer to assess dams across the country with the membership including the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Minister of Information, Minister Finance, Budget and National Economy, the Minister of Environment, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, and the National Security Adviser.

He said the committee was inaugurated on the 2nd of October with a sub-committee constituted.