The Honourable Minister of Water and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, has inspected the Otukpo Multipurpose Dam located at Otobi Akpa in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, as part of his nationwide inspection tour of dams, irrigation, water supply and sanitation projects.
The inspection aligns with the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure sustainable water resources management and improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
Speaking during the inspection, the Minister stated that the President had given a marching order to assess all water facilities across the country to address challenges related to water supply and sanitation and to fulfil the administration’s promise of making life more meaningful for Nigerians.
According to him, the inspection tour was undertaken to identify critical areas requiring urgent intervention, particularly dams that are yet to be completed, those experiencing challenges such as siltation, and facilities at risk of structural failure.
The Minister, who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Emanso Umobong, Technical Directors and community leaders, explained that upon completion, the Otukpo Dam is expected to deliver enormous benefits, including: a 130 million cubic metres reservoir capacity; 3.3MW hydroelectric power plant; Potable water supply; Irrigation of 2,000 hectares of farmland and construction of 13 kilometres of internal access roads, among others.
