The Project Coordinator, Kogi State
Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), Barr. Ladi Ahmed Jatto, said aside the massive intervention in the control of Gully Erosion embarked upon by the Agency across the State, the Agency has successfully helped in reducing vulnerability to soil Erosion.
The Project Coordinator made the disclosure while addressing Newsmen in her office in Lokoja, expressed satisfaction that the agency which targets Rural Areas has positively impacted and affected the lives of the people in the State through the provision of Weather Monitoring Equipment across the State.
The Project Coordinator disclosed that the State Government through the Agency recently supported the State University and some communities with weather Monitoring Equipments, said the present administration having been aware of the yearly flooding across some communities in the State, provided funds to enable the prediction of flooding and other natural disasters.
She disclosed that the agency has provided solar panel boreholes and lighting system to many communities without potable water and light in the State, explained that through the boreholes, communities now have access to clean drinking water thus reducing water borne related diseases.
She added that the light provided by the agency has helped in illuminating many communities against several crimes associated with darkness and from snake bites, described the intervention by the agency as a commitment of Gov. Yahaya Bello to improving the lives of rural dwellers.
The Project Coordinator further maintained that the boreholes have helped in the drastic reduction of long treck by women in search of water, rape and other forms of insecurity associated with lack of water and light in their various communities.
Barr. Ladi expressed commendation to Gov. Yahaya Bello, the Kogi State Governor for massive provision of funds that has helped in ensuring that the State Government through the NEWMAP provided Telemetric Equipment that has helped in predicting flooding.
The NEWMAP Project Coordinator described the State as one that has always been prone to yearly flooding, with nine local Government Areas usually devastated, expressed satisfaction that with the provision of Telemetric Equipment by the State Government, the impact of the flooding was drastically reduced in the State this year.
The Telemetric Equipment she disclosed are located in Bagana in Omala and Anyigba in Dekina LGAs of the State, explained that it has helped in reducing the annual flooding, consequently, protecting lives, properties and farmlands.
With the Telemetric Equipment, citizens in the State, the Project Coordinator disclosed are now able to move away from flood prone communities and can predict rainfall, start early farming, avoid natural disasters as well as reduce loss of lives to the barest minimum.
The Project Coordinator stressed that the State Government intervention through the agency has received a lot of commendation for the State Government, called on citizens of the State to imbibe the spirit of doing the right thing by ensuring that drainage systems are cleared and not blocked with waste.
She equally called on the Ministry of Works and Housing to make the building of drainages a priority during road construction, lamented that the absence of drainages during road construction impact negatively on the environment.
She further called on people living around flood planes to move to the higher grounds, stressing that with the receding of the flood, people need to make the safety of their lives a priority.
Barr. Ladi Ahmed Jatto is an indigene of Kogi State hails from Okene LGA, has a sixteen years post call to the Bar experience, is the Project Coordinator of NEWMAP, a State Government Agency working in partnership with the World Bank towards reducing vulnerability in certain areas particularly in the rural communities.