The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment, Bukola Saraki, on Sunday disclosed that the Federal Government had approved N6 billion for the reconstruction of the Asa Dam in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The project, which will be executed in three phases, will put an end to the perennial flooding of the Asa Dam which had in the past affected several parts of Ilorin and its environs.

Saraki lamented the loss of lives and property caused by floods and erosions in the past, and pledged that his committee would ensure the prompt completion of the project.

According to him, already, N1 billion had been released as mobilisation fee to the contractors for the commencement of the project.

The Senator also called for adequate funding of environmental projects in the country, saying that the government ought to desist from treating ecological problems as emergencies but instead take them more seriously.

"Ecological Fund is largely used as intervention funds but some of the ecological issues, such as flooding and erosion, should no longer be handled as mere intervention programmes," Saraki said.

"So, we need to go back to the drawing board and see how we can get adequate funding for these environmental issues that need to be addressed on regular basis. By and large, we are working with the executive to see how to go about that. However, it is somewhat difficult because the budgetary allocation for environment in 2012 is less than what it got in 2011."