The Country Director for WaterAid Dr ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, has expressed concern over the rate at which Lake Chad is shrinking, thereby causing threat to livelihoods of people in the region.
“Lake Chad, the largest fresh water reservoir, is an important resource shared by Nigeria and other benefiting countries within the region. The lake sustains a lot of people, who are largely farmers, fishermen and livestock breeders. The speedy shrinking of the basin is threatening the resources and livelihoods of millions of people who are living there. There is no doubt that the management of the lake requires greater resources and expertise; involvement of water experts is certainly a welcome intervention,’’ she said.

The WaterAid official called for involvement of water experts, particularly geologists, in proffering solutions to the diminishing of the lake.

According to her, the shrinking has caused millions of inhabitants of the basin to move to the hinterlands due to inability to carry out their fishing and other agricultural activities. “Most of the people living around the lake have been displaced by natural forces. These forces include drought and desertification brought about by the effects of climate change; high winds and temperature in the region have resulted in diminishing resources of the Lake Chad Basin,’’ she said.

The official told newsmen that, the alarming humanitarian crisis could be fast developing as a consequence of the threat.

She appealed to the governments of the commission’s countries to expedite actions in reclaiming the lake basin.

Newsmen report that Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Algeria, the Central African Republic, Libya, and Sudan are members of the Lake Chad Basin Commission.