By Abdullahi Lukman
The Kaduna State Government on Friday has launched a 4,000-metre dredging operation on River Kaduna to reduce the risk of flooding and expand the river’s capacity.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Linda Yakubu, said the project will focus on flood-prone areas, including Barnawa and the Living Faith axis.
A swamp buggy, recently acquired and approved by Governor Uba Sani, will be used for the operation.
Yakubu explained that this marks the state’s first independently initiated flood-control effort, following a similar exercise completed in June along Airport Road, Kutungari.
Tributaries feeding into River Kaduna will also be cleared.
She warned against dumping refuse in waterways and said mobile courts would prosecute offenders when monthly sanitation resumes in October.
Supporting the initiative, Ikramat Muazu of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) described dredging as a cost-effective preventive measure that reduces the need for emergency response.
Michael Balai-Ibrahim of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) highlighted the swamp buggy’s role in clearing sandbars and debris.
NIWA pledged ongoing technical support and enforcement of river safety standards, while the National Orientation Agency (NOA) said sensitisation efforts are ongoing across the 23 LGAs to gain public cooperation.
The government’s long-term goal is to improve the river’s capacity and protect lives and property as heavy rainfall is expected, according to predictions by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.
NAN
