By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Succour came the way of no fewer than 1,200 households affected by flood in Patigi, Patigi local government area of Kwara state as relief materials worth over N50m were distributed to them over the weekend by the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) to ameliorate their suffering.

Items distributed to the flood victims include iron zinc, mattresses, rice and soap.

Speaking at the flag off of the distribution of the relief materials in Patigi, the Managing Director (MD) of HYPPADEC, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, said the items would cover 2,800 people affected by flood in the area.

According to the HYPPADEC MD, who was represented by the Director, Community and Rural Development, Dr. Mahmud Muhammed, the Commission would also support the affected communities with medical consumables.

Alhaji Yelwa, who expressed worry over the refusal of the people living along the river banks to relocate to safer areas despite several warnings to avert the colossal destruction of loves and property due to flood, called for the enactment of legislation that would ban people from living along river banks to save their lives.

In his address, the Etsu Patigi, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Bologi ii, commended HYPPADEC for providing relief materials to those affected by flood in the community.

Two of the residents affected by the flood in the area, Muhammed Baba ,Shaaba Kolo and Ibrahim Idris, appreciated the timely intervention of HYPPADEC towards alleviating their suffering.

They also appealed to the federal government to build permanent houses for them in safer areas to enable them relocate.