Apart from corruption, one of the greatest reasons for Nigeria’s backwardness is inability of government leaders to implement policies as planned or budgeted. Planning, ideas and elegant “grammar” are never in short supply. Bringing plans to life always is. It is a national problem that must be addressed if we are to move forward.
The Borno floods that saw the submersion of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital and environs, would have been avoided if the state and federal governments had attended to faults identified with the Alau Dam in Konduga Local Government Area, near Maiduguri.
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, confessed while taking stock of the damage and losses sustained after the embankment of the Dam was breached, that its structural faults were identified about nine years ago. Zulum also disclosed, to the consternation of many, that N400 million had been budgeted for re-mediation. He did not say whether the money was released for the repairs or not.
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What is obvious is that his government did not act quickly enough. As a result of this, the heavy rains of this year washed away the embankment of the dam, and the ensuing deluge swept away over 30 lives, displaced almost 500,000 people and led to the loss of billions of naira worth of homes, goods and property.
Also, 281 inmates of a correctional centre went missing. Many of them were convicted or detained terrorists. The danger that this breach could pose to lives and property in the future is uncertain. Equally saddening was that the city’s zoo, which harboured many exotic animals, was also flooded, leading to the loss of many of them.
Most importantly, thousands of people lost their means of livelihood. This is bound to worsen the poverty and impact negatively on the security of lives and property.
This crass neglect and its attendant avoidable losses can be likened to the October 6, 2023 Hamas massacre of over 1,400 Israelis, which is blamed on lack of vigilance of the armed and security forces. After the crisis, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will still answer for the neglect that precipitated the tragedy and expensive war.
We call for a similar accountability on this issue. Governor Zulum and his officials failed to prevent this tragedy. All the officials involved must be sanctioned. This is a case of criminal negligence. There must be consequences. Even if the dam is under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Zulum’s government ought to have acted to protect lives and property while demanding a refund.
The Alau Dam breach should also alert the nation of the need to routinely maintain our 300 dams to prevent a recurrence of the Maiduguri tragedy.
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