Bashir Opaluwa Idris
The Kogi State House of Assembly has called on the State Government to Provide adequate resources for the state Waste Management Board for emergency evacuation and desilting of drainages in the state in view of the warning eminent floods by NIMET.
In a motion of urgent public importance calling for preparation against the eminent floods as warned by the Ministry of Environment, moved by the lawmaker representing Lokoja two Constituency and Speaker of the House, Aliyu Umar Yusuf, said flooding in Nigeria has become a yearly occurrence that claims lives and destroy a lot of properties when the rains have persisted, causing property and business disruption in the midst of a crippling economy where rising food costs are making matters worse for Nigerians.
Aliyu Yusuf noted that flooding which is a complex problem caused by both human and natural factors have all culminated in making matters worse in urban areas especially, Lokoja the State capital where Infrequent clearing and evacuation of both human and animal wastes often constitute hindrance to free flows of waterways.
The Lawmaker noted that the NATACO area of the Capital city is consistently covered with refuse due to the non-frequent clearing of the refuse and citizens, who without alternative disposal facilities, take to dumping their wastes and refuse on the road median in hope of the waste management clearing such wastes.
According to him, Kogi State is one of the States predicted to be affected by the floods, with Lokoja, Idah, Ibaji Local Government areas much likely to experience severe flooding.
“Further Note that those farming slum at the outskirt of the State capital is inundated by poor drainage and an over spilling of refuse into the drainage canals and if left unchecked, this would block the only drainage and will certainly over flow and cover the community with flood waters. Majority of the people are farmers and fishermen/women and these disasters often cause not only economic losses but also human injuries and fatalities”.
Aliyu Yusuf called on the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to within one week develop an emergency Response plan on the predicted floods.
He equally appealed to the House Committee on Environment to engage SEMA and Wastes Management board with a view to finding a lasting and sustainable strategy for addressing the issue of waste disposal and flooding in the State capital while also making efforts at providing releave materials to victims from Jamata, Kakanda, Kupa, and Eggan areas.
Seconding the motion, the member Representing Ajaokuta State Constituency, Jibril Abuh appealed to those living in flood prone areas to move to higher ground.
Member representing Dekina Biraidu, Usman Ochidi and that of Igalamela/Odolu State Constituency, Major Enefola while supporting the motion, appreciated Aliyu Umar Yusuf for identifying the immediate problem of the state, urging members of the House to give their necessary suport.
The Deputy Speaker, Comfort Unwuchola Egwuaba who precided over the sitting, in her rulling, thanked the lawmaker for moving the timely motion, appealing to the state government to do the needful to the motion.
