The Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District, Osita Ngwu, has renewed pressure on the Federal Government to complete the long-stalled Ivo and Mgbowo dam projects, warning that continued delays amount to the neglect of critical infrastructure in the South-East.
In a press statement issued Thursday, the lawmaker — who chairs the Senate Committee on Air Force — described the projects as vital to sustainable development in Enugu State and urged the government to prioritise their completion.
Ngwu stressed that finishing the dams would significantly improve access to potable water, expand irrigation for agriculture, create jobs and stimulate socio-economic growth in host communities.
‘Systematic Abandonment’
The senator expressed frustration that despite repeated appeals, the projects appear to have been left to deteriorate.
“This is to remind you of my letter dated 8th September, 2023 and to express concerns that despite our appeals for the completion of the Ivo and Mgbowo River dams in Enugu State, there appears to be a systematic abandonment of these critical projects,” he said.
He noted that the Ivo Dam was awarded by the Federal Government in 2012 as a multi-purpose facility intended to serve irrigation, water supply, fishery and electricity generation needs, while also supporting agro-based enterprises.
“The Ivo dam project, which was awarded by the Federal Government in 2012 as a multi-purpose dam built for irrigation, water supply, fishery, electricity generation and to enable the host communities to engage in intensive agriculture, food processing and agro-allied businesses, has suffered non-budgetary allocation since 2014 to date. Ditto Mgbowo dam,” Ngwu stated.
Alleged Budgetary Exclusion of South-East
Ngwu described the funding gap as deeply troubling, alleging that the South-East geopolitical zone has been excluded from recent dam rehabilitation and development allocations.
“It is very disappointing to note that while other zones received and continue to receive considerable budgetary allocations, only the South-East zone is left out. Ditto the Mgbowo dam. It is particularly troubling that these dams and others within the South-East have not enjoyed funding for some time,” he said.
The senator further lamented that the projects were not captured in the Ministry’s 2026 budget proposal.
“It had been expected that the Ministry, in its 2026 budget proposal, would have captured these projects, but sadly, this is not the case. As you may be aware, money was earmarked by the government in the Renewed Hope Fund for rehabilitation of dams across the country, yet it is only the South-East zone that received zero allocation among all the River Basin Development Authorities in the country,” he added.
Call for Urgent Federal Action
Ngwu maintained that key infrastructure projects such as the Ivo and Mgbowo dams are central to improving potable water supply, boosting agricultural productivity, enhancing connectivity and driving local economic development in Enugu State.
He insisted that residents of the state deserve equitable access to federal developmental initiatives without prolonged delays.
The renewed call adds to growing demands for balanced infrastructure investment across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, particularly in the area of water resources and agricultural development.
