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Clement Nze, the Director General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), has highlighted that notification regarding the release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon reached Nigerian authorities approximately seven days after the dam’s opening. This delayed communication resulted in the issuance of flood alerts across multiple Nigerian states due to increased water inflow.
“I watched it on Saturday night. The letter was dated the 21st, which is approximately seven days after the dam had been opened,” Nze mentioned during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday. This points to a potential “gap” in the communication chain.
The disclosure comes in the wake of the publication of a letter dated August 21, 2023, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This letter served as a notification to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) regarding the imminent risk of flooding within the River Benue Basin.
The director-general of NIHSA recollects that the commissioner for information in Adamawa State had previously issued a press release. This release was intended to communicate to all media outlets in the state the decision to open the dam located in Cameroon.
On Tuesday, the 22nd of August, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Water Resources reached out to me for immediate verification. I had to contact the hydrologist responsible for the dam in Cameroon. However, our conversation didn’t take place until Wednesday morning,” Nze explained.
“He subsequently provided me with all the necessary details. According to him, the dam gates were opened at 10:10 am on the 14th of August. They have been releasing water at a rate of approximately 20 million cubic meters per day, which is equivalent to about 200 meters per second.”
When asked whether this information could be considered as “recent news,” the head of the hydrological agency commented, “It’s possible.”
