Residents living along riverbanks in Kogi State have been urged by the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) to relocate to higher ground to avoid potential flooding.
This warning follows predictions of impending floods from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, aimed at preventing possible devastation.
During a sensitization campaign at the palace of Ata Igala and Eje-Ibaji, Managing Director Sadiq Yelwa highlighted the urgency of the situation. He noted that while flooding is a natural occurrence that cannot be prevented, its effects can be managed to reduce destruction, as seen in Kogi and other states during the floods of 2022. “We are dedicated to providing early warnings to all N-HYPPADEC communities. We have been advocating for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency due to warnings from NiMet and reports from local residents about rising flood risks.
“The situation is alarming, which is why we are advising N-HYPPADEC community members to stay vigilant and not take unnecessary risks, as flooding can happen unexpectedly, even at night.
“We have engaged with traditional rulers, youth, and community leaders in Ata Igala and Eje Ibaji, appealing for their help in encouraging residents along riverbanks to move to safer areas until conditions improve. Additionally, we have procured two boats for the Ibaji communities, which will be commissioned for use next Thursday,” Yelwa stated.
He also led technical teams from N-HYPPADEC and the Kogi State Ministry of Water Resources to the inactive Idah waterworks in Idah Local Government Area, which has been abandoned since 2012.
Yelwa assured residents that N-HYPPADEC, in collaboration with the Kogi State government, would work to revitalize the waterworks, which has a capacity of one million liters per day, to serve Idah and its surrounding areas.
Eje Ibaji, John Egwemi, commended N-HYPPADEC for its ongoing support to communities frequently affected by flooding and requested the construction of a road from Idah to Ibaji.
The Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Water Resources, Omakoju Alhassan, expressed confidence that, based on the analysis of the moribund Idah waterworks and N-HYPPADEC’s proposed intervention, the facility would be brought back to life to alleviate water scarcity in the historic town.
