Expert urges FG, stakeholders to prioritise water resources, engineers’ involvement

Expert urges FG, stakeholders to prioritise water resources, engineers’ involvement

An engineering expert, Kashim Ali, has urged the Federal Government and other stakeholders to accord greater attention to water resources and ensure that engineers are involved in decisions affecting Nigeria’s water infrastructure.

Ali, who was a former President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), made the call at the 9th International Water Conference organised by the National Institution of Water Engineers (NIWE) in Abuja.

The expert was also the former President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN),

Ali said the recurring flooding witnessed in several parts of the country, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was largely linked to inadequate attention to water resources engineering.

He said poor maintenance of drainage infrastructure and failure to implement previous studies and designs had also contributed significantly to the flooding situation.

Ali said Nigeria should not be experiencing the level of flooding currently witnessed across the country, noting that studies and preliminary designs to address the problem had been undertaken as far back as the late 1960s and early 1970s.

“Some of the measures were not taken, even though the preliminary designs and studies were done. That is why today, we are still singing the same song,” he said.

He said the failure to implement relevant engineering recommendations had allowed flooding challenges to persist despite the availability of technical knowledge and previous studies.

Ali said the situation in Abuja was particularly concerning because the city’s topography made it vulnerable to flooding if adequate water-control measures were not properly maintained.

He recalled that the Pedam Dam was constructed to impound runoff that could otherwise contribute to flooding in Abuja.

“I had the privilege of being the assistant resident engineer for that project. The dam captures the runoff from that side, traps it and disposes of it in an organised way,” he said.

The former NSE president, however, regretted that flooding had continued in the FCT despite the existence of such infrastructure.

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He attributed the situation partly to blocked drainage channels and inadequate maintenance of existing water-control infrastructure.

Ali recalled that there was previously a tradition of cleaning drainage systems before the rainy season to ensure the free flow of storm water.

He, however, observed that such preventive measures were no longer receiving adequate attention, stressing that routine maintenance was essential to preventing avoidable flooding.

“We are only interested in capital projects that will bring some heavy returns, unfortunately,” he said.

Ali urged water engineers and professional bodies, particularly NIWE, to speak out whenever they observed practices capable of undermining water infrastructure and public safety.

“NIWE must send out statements, whether they listen or not is not your business. Your job is to say it out. When you see something going wrong, please speak up,” he said.

He also raised concerns over the depletion of engineering personnel in the FCT Water Board, saying the situation could affect the institution’s ability to effectively manage the capital’s water infrastructure.

Ali therefore urged NIWE to engage the FCT Administration on the challenges confronting the Water Board and advocate for the deployment of more qualified engineers.

According to him, scientific officers have important roles to play in the water sector, but their numbers should not overshadow the need for adequate engineering personnel in a water utility.

Ali also expressed concern over alleged encroachment on land reserved for water infrastructure around the Lower Usuma Dam.

He said portions of land earmarked for future water-treatment facilities had allegedly been converted to other uses, urging the FCT Administration to review developments around the water infrastructure.

Earlier, the National Chairman of NIWE, Joshua Sanga, said the theme of the 9th International Water Conference called for a shift beyond conventional approaches to water management.

Sanga urged stakeholders to embrace digital technologies, smart water systems, data-driven decision-making, climate-resilient infrastructure, innovative financing, improved water governance and stronger institutional collaboration, while encouraging greater participation of young water engineers.

He urged participants to use the conference to strengthen water governance, improve water security and promote innovations capable of making Nigeria’s water systems more resilient.

He emphasised that collective effort and continued commitment were essential to advancing the country’s water sector.