By Dada Ahmed
The present Federal government has been called upon to give serious consideration to the completion of the dredging of River Niger as away of checking the perennial flood and its effects on the people in the country.
The National President of Ibaji Development Association (IDA), Mr Godwin Onu, gave the advice at the general meeting of the association at Oyedega, headquarters of Ibaji Local Government Area of kogi state.
He described the plight of the people of the local government as pathetic, adding that they had lost farm produce worth millions of naira this year alone, in addition to other inconveniences caused by the natural disaster.
The Reporters,an online publication, reports that though the dredging of River Niger began during the administration of the Musa Shehu Yar’Adua, the project is yet to be completed.
Meanwhile, many residents of Lokoja, the state capital are still counting their loses in the wake of flood that submerged houses along the bank of the Niger, mostly in Ganaja and some other flood prone areas in the state.
Our Correspondent, who visited Ganaja and Kabawa roads reports that substantial parts of the two major roads remained almost impassable as the time of this report, as flood took control of them on Friday with drivers and passengers sweating it out plying them.
The online platform reports that the problem is caused by the fact that, the Niger has over flowed and extended water to the roads and houses.
At Ganaja road, drivers and passengers now use canoe to cross the flood prone portion of the road, either get to lokoja or cross the area to the eastern part of the state or to otter states of the federation in that flank.
Kogi state which experienced the worst flood in 2012, during three quarters of its 21 local government areas were submerged by flood,is among the states of the federation NiMET predicted will experience another flood in 2020.
The agency, therefore, advised residents in the state living at the bank of River Niger to relocate to safer areas.
In a twist of an irony, scarcity of potable water has hit Lokoja whose residents have been battling with flood for some days running.
The Commissioner for Water Resources, Abdulmumin Danga, who commented on the issue attributed it to the damage caused to the machines at the Lokoja Water Works due to overshooting of water by the river.
This development, Danga noted, hindered officials of the ministry from carrying out the repairs.
He, therefore, appealed for public understanding on the issue.
Www.Vanguard.com
www.kogistatenews.com.ng
www.thenigerianpost.com.ng
www.punchng.com
www.dailypost.ng