Abu Michael
The National Inland Waterways Authority NIWA has donated food items worth millions of Naira and a five million naira cash to Kogi state Government to help in the preparedness for the anticipated flood in Kogi state.
The managing Director of NIWA, George Moghalu, presented to the items to the Commissioner for Environment, Victor Omofaiye, on behalf of Kogi State Government on Tuesday in Lokoja, Kogi state capital.
The Managing Director noted that the contribution which is done simultaneously in eleven flood prune states across the country is their social responsibility to the communities to help in the preparedness for the impending flood.
Moghalu stated that the early warning signals by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency NIMET that flood is likely to occur this year in the state , is for Governments and the people to be proactive in their strategy in order to mitigate the effects on on the ecosystem and economic lives of the people.
He explained that aside the donation, her organisation has begun the desilting to open up channels to allow free flow of water in identified areas to reduce the effect of the flood.
He tasked the government at all levels to kick-start aggressive sensitisation campaigns to educate the people on how to maximize the flood.
He warned against indiscriminate disposal of wastes into channels which is assumed to be the major causes of blockage that lead to flooding , urging the people to be alive to their environment.
He disclosed that in the 2022 flooding, his organisation deployed vessels to move people and goods to their destination at no cause, promising to re-enact the feat if the flood occurs this year.
He commended Kogi state Government for their proactiveness in tackling floods in the state, stressing that the provision of flood housing estates for victims have become reference point to other states.
He pledged for smooth synergy with relevant agencies to tackle the menace of the flood.
Meanwhile, the Kogi state Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello thanked the Management of NIWA for the donation and pledge to ensure that all measures to hedge against the flood are adequately adhered to and to step up awareness campaign across the state.
The Governor, represented by the commissioner for Environment, Victor Omofaiye said the government would do everything within its power to ensure that the predicted flood would have little or no adverse effect on the livelihood of the people.
He solicited for more support from individuals and corporate organisations to lend their assistance to the state so as to mitigate against the flood.
While thanking NIWA for their continued support for the state asked for more assistance to reduce, if it occured, the devastating effects on the state.
He appealed to residents living on the flood plain to relocate to Government facilities, saying , it takes only the living to live in the abode of their forebears.
Items donated include; 200 bags of Rice, 200 bags of Beans, 200 bags of Maize, others are 200 cartons of Noodles and 200 gallons of vegetable oil as well as five million naira .