Funmi Olaitan, Ibadan

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Friday said the proposed rehabilitation of Eleyele Dam, in Ibadan, the state capital, will substantially enhance residents’ access to potable water, as well as save the city from frightening flood incidents.

He said this at a ceremony to flag off the rehabilitation project, held at the premises of the dam, in Eleyele, Ido local government area.

Ajimobi, represented by the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Isaac Isola, said the rehabilitation project was one of the befitting legacies he wished to be remembered for.

He said the contractor handling the overhaul of the dam, Messrs CGC-CHWE Joint Venture, and other partners, had been given a maximum of 24 months to complete the project.

He explained that the devastating effect of an August 26, 2011 flooding spurred the government into embarking on comprehensive flood control measures across the city, including dredging of river channels and construction of bridges.

He said, “One of the major challenges that first confronted this administration upon our assumption of office in 2011 was the devastating flood of August 26, 2011; an unfortunate incident that ravaged many parts of Ibadan.

"This Eleyele Dam, then approaching its 70th anniversary, was badly hit, leading to an overflow of the dam and degradation of the appurtenant structures.

“The implication of this was that one of the two fictional values of the Eleyele Dam, which was to help flood control during high flow periods through its reservoir holding capacity, had been compromised!

"Unlike the piecemeal and largely reactive responses of past administrations in the state, we decided to take the bull by the horns in our determined efforts to change the narratives of perennial flooding in Ibadan. The ceremony we are holding today is one of such efforts.

"On completion, the dam will have improved capacity to contain flooding in and around Ibadan. Yet another derivable benefit is that the capacity of the dam to supply treated water to the city of Ibadan and would be greatly boosted.”

Commissioner for Finance, Planning and Budget, Mr. Abimbola Adekanmbi, said the contractors and supervising consultants for the project were selected through World Bank standard competitive bidding process.

He explained that the project scope included raising of the dam embankment crest from its existing height of 183.6m to 185.4m ask, erection of 1.0m high concrete parapet wall and increase on the discharge capacity of the spillway from 368.9m3/s to 1269m3/s.

He added that there would also be an increase in the width of the spillway channel to enhance its discharge capacity, rehabilitation of the intake tower in order to fully restore its capacity to supply raw water from the reservoir to the treatment plant, among others.