Kogi dep gov advocates awareness campaign over perennial flooding

The Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Joel Oyibo Salifu, who also doubles as the chairman, State Emergency Management Agency, has called on critical stakeholders in flood disaster management to intensify efforts aimed at sensitising and mitigating the impending flood as predicted by Nigeria Metrological Agency, NiMet.

Salifu made the call during a stakeholders’ meeting  on emergency management and flood preparedness organised by SEMA in collaboration with the NEMA, which held on Tuesday, in Lokoja.

Salifu noted that  perennial flooding has posed grave threat to nine local government areas in Kogi State, stressing as such that it is high time for stakeholders to come together and develop a proactive strategy for the purpose of mitigating flood disaster in the state.

He emphasised, “We will continue to invest in early warnings to sensitise and enlighten the people, especially citizens living and dwelling along the riverine areas.”

While noting that the government alone can not effectively address the challenges posed by flood disaster in Kogi State, the Deputy Governor urged stakeholders to support the government in tackling the effects of flood in the state.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary, SEMA, Alhaji Mouktar Atimah, in his welcome address, had explained that the objectives of the stakeholders’ meeting was to strengthen synergy and cooperation among stakeholders in preparedness to anticipated 2024 flood and to identify the needed support to enhance 2024 flood response.

According to him, between April and May, 2024 over 1000 households were affected by wind and rain storm in three local government areas.

Therefore, he assured that the agency would continue to do its best to manage disasters in the state.

“The agency would, on its part, continue to intensify efforts aimed at mitigating the predicted flooding while also sensitising the general public.

“The state government has done a lot in saving lives and property of its citizens and also protecting the vulnerable,” he said.

Atimah urged all the stakeholders to take issues of flood prediction by NiMET seriously in order to reduce to the barest minimum in terms of death and loss of property.

In his goodwill message, the Onu of Itobe, Chief Salifu Adaji, appealed to the Federal Government to be proactive in finding a lasting solution to the perennial flooding affecting people living along riverine zones.

The traditional ruler who noted that the people already know their problems, urged the FG to embark on massive dredging with the Nigerian Navy serving as a supervisory body to ensure that the contract is executed according to specifications.