Richard Elesho/ Lokoja
The Kogi State government on Friday during a sensitisation campaign called on people to vacate areas that are prone to flood, before the onset of disaster predicted by environmentalists.
It would be recalled that the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in May warned thst 121 local government areas spread across 27 states of the federation, will experience high risk flooding during this year’s rainy season.
The states include Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross Rivers, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara and Lagos. Others are Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara.
Speaking to newsmen when he visited Sakin Noma a suburb of Lokoja, the State capital, the Kogi State Commissioner for Environmental, Victor Adewale Omofaiye urged residents in flood prone areas to relocate, stressing that flooding can lead to loss of lives and property.
According to him, going by
the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and NIHSA prediction, Kogi will be experiencing flooding this year. He however restated the Governor Yahaya Bello’s commitment to tackling environmental issues in the State.
Earlier, the leader of Sarki Noma community who showed the Commissioner and his team round the area expressed dissatisfaction over the position of the river in sarki Noma which according to him always overflow, during flood and consequently destroying houses and other valuable properties.
The General Manager, Kogi State Sanitation and Waste Management Board Mallam Abdulganiu Sanni advised that every household should have waste bin, stressing that it would go a long way in reducing the menace of dumping of refuse on water ways.
In his remarks, the Executive Director Kogi State Emergency Management Agency, (KOSEMA) commended Sarki Noma community for their collective effort in tackling flood issue, urging them not to relent in their efforts.