_Compiled by_ Igiku Mary.
Kogi State Government has commenced the distribution of Relieve Materials to the displaced persons in Lokoja and Kogi local government areas of the state.
Hon. Omofaiye Victor Adewale, the Commissioner for Environment who led a team comprising the state Ministry of Environment and the States Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for this assignment expressed displeasure over the numbers of houses and properties that are been affected by flood.
Hon. Omofaiye said, “the kogi state government is sensitive to the plight of the people and that it will leave no stone unturned in the quest to better the lives of the people in the state.
The Commissioner noted that, the state government pro-activeness in tackling flood issue has been demonstrated through the sensitisation of the flood proned communities ahead of time adding that, the present administration has provided various palliatives and camps for the displaced persons to cushion the effect of flood.
He urged people that are still residing in areas that have been flooded to move to government designated camps for their safety and advised them to support the present administration as more people oriented programs are on underway to better the lives of the citizens.
Speaking in an interview after the distribution at Kotonkarfe, the Special Adviser on Emergency and Sanitation to the Governor, Hon. Imam Saleh Adams explained that flood is a natural disaster and cannot be controlled by man, adding that the present administration has been pro-active in tackling the issue of flood by distributing palliatives to the victims in the state and not waiting for external aid.
He noted that, the state government was working in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to relocate people from flood prone areas to flood Estates and higher ground permanently so as to reduce the impact of flood.
He called on good spirited individuals and organization to support the government in tackling the menace of flood in the state.
Responding, the Ohimege of Kotonkarfe, His Royal Majesty, Alhaji Isah Koto, said, Kogi Local Government Areas has many settlements along the bank of rivers Niger and Benue that are now totally submerged, urging government at all levels to come to the aid of the people by revisiting the issue of dredging the rivers.
The items distributed includes both food and non-food items such as matrass, pillows, rice, semovitta, cartons of indomies, beverages to mention but a few.
_Compiled by_ *Igiku Mary.*
Information officer,
Kogi State Ministry of Environment.
