The House of Representatives on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to allocate significant resources in the 2024 budget estimates of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources for an up-to-date feasibility study to increase the volume of water in Lake Chad.
This decision was reached following the adoption of a motion on the Need to Recharge and Restore Lake Chad sponsored by Hon Ahmed Mohammed Munir.
The House stated that the volume of water in Lake Chad could be increased by diverting water from the Oubangui River, a tributary of the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and transporting it to the Chari River in the Republic of Chad, which deposits into Lake Chad.
The House expressed concern over the rapid shrinking of Lake Chad, which is the largest endorheic basin in Africa, attributing it to climate change and unsustainable water management practices.
It noted that the shrinking of the lake has had severe consequences on economic opportunities, resulting in the displacement of millions of people who now face poverty and increased security risks and extremism, with implications both nationally and internationally.
The House acknowledged that feasibility studies conducted by the World Bank in 2006 showed that the Inter-Basin Water Transfer, as a means to recharge and restore the lake, has minimal environmental impact according to an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Report.
It emphasized that restoring Lake Chad would not only revive fishing and other aquatic resource industries but also create new opportunities for enhanced national security, food security, agriculture, tourism, improved urban water supply, and the revitalization of irrigation schemes and other economic activities, thereby improving the livelihoods of millions of people in the region and beyond.
Furthermore, the House urged the Federal Government to initiate high-level diplomatic engagement for regional cooperation among the five member countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, namely Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic. This cooperation would serve as the foundation for further international collaboration.
The House also called on the Federal Government to collaborate closely with international organizations, leveraging their technical expertise and mobilizing resources from various sources, including international development banks and bilateral aid agencies such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
In addition, the House encouraged the Federal Government to explore innovative financing mechanisms such as green bonds and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to ensure the successful completion of the project.
To ensure compliance, the House mandated the Committees on Water Resources, Appropriations, Foreign Affairs, Environment, Climate Change, North East Development Commission, Lake Chad, Aids, Loan and Debt Management, Cooperation and Integration in Africa, and Legislative Compliance (when constituted) to oversee the implementation of these recommendations.
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