By Sylvia Akpan, Government House Correspondent
The Federal House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to resume the rehabilitation of the abandoned Obudu Dam project.
In a motion moved on the floor of the House on Tuesday, the member representing Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwarra federal constituency, Honorable Peter Akpanke said there is an urgent need to rehabilitate the dam project abandoned many years ago.
He noted that in September 2015, the federal government adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which seek to ensure access to water and sanitation for everyone.
Hon. Akpanke averred that the National Resource master plan was in 2013 launched by the federal government for the provision of portable water by utilizing the dam which was reviewed and integrated into the SDG and implementation plan formed part of the guidelines for water sanitation and hygiene in healthcare facilities meant to improve sanitary conditions and the prevention of infectious diseases.
“The dam which was expected to facilitate irrigation of about 100 hectares of agricultural lands teaches and promotes tourism in the northern part of Cross River State in line with the federal government partnership for the expanded water supply, sanitation and hygiene, and the World Bank assisted sustainable urban renewal Water Sanitation and Hygiene, sure WASH to improve public healthcare services and eradicate poverty in Nigeria to achieve SDG target 6.1 and 6.2 in the rural areas, improvement in urban small towns and rural water supply in the country.”
He expressed worries that the failure of the federal government to complete the Obudu dam project has contributed to the further dwindling of the revenues to the country. Thus, threatening the livelihoods of over 60,000 Nigerians who depend on the dam for water sanitation and hygiene as well as economic purposes.
The lawmaker inferred that if action is not taken by the federal government to rehabilitate the dam, an outbreak of another disease is inevitable in Obudu/Obanliku/Bekwara federal constituency.
The House, however, enjoined the Ministry of Water Resources to resume the immediate rehabilitation of the Obudu dam project and make provision for the relevant financial authorities, mandate the committee of water resources when constituted to investigate why the contract was abandoned, and make recommendations.