Olu Samuel, Lokoja

The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) has warned people living along river banks in Kogi state to relocate to high grounds in order to avoid devastation that can arise due to impending flood as predicted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

The Managing Director, N-HYPPADEC Abubarka Sadiq Yelwa gave the warning on Sunday during a sensitization campaign to the palace of Ata Igala and Eje- Ibaji seeking their support to move people living along river areas to the high ground.

Sadiq Yelwa who described flood as a natural phenomenon that no body can stop, said the menace of flooding in prone areas can only be managed to reduce high devastations as witnessed in 2022 in Kogi and other states across the country.

“We are at the forefront of giving early warning to all the N-HYPPADEC communities. We have been sensitizing and calling on the federal government to declare state of emergency because of the warning we received from NiMet and the signs of flooding we have seen or heard from the locals.

“The situation is alarming and scary that is why the commission is calling on members of N-HYPPADEC communities to be wary of the situation to be at alert and not to go to bed in the night with their eyes close because flooding can occur even in the night.

“We have visited Ata Igala and Eje Ibaji, we have been advising , appealing to traditional rulers, youth and community leaders to help us prevail on the people living along river base and channels to move up land until when the situation improves. We have also procured two boats for Ibaji communities which will be commissioned and put to use next Thursday” the MD said.

The Managing Director who led a technical teams of the commission and that of Kogi state ministry of water resources to the moribund Idah water works in Idah local government area of the state, abandoned since 2012, assured that N-HYPPADEC in collaboration with Kogi state government would resuscitate the one million litres capacity per day water works to serve the people of Idah and its environs.

“I have seen a neglected water facility that could have been put to use for long. I have seen a facility that has the capacity to improve the life of the people if giving the desired attention. I am delighted with the commitment of Kogi state government by instructing the state water board to collaborate with us to see how best we can ameliorate the current situation of Idah water works” he stated.

In his remark, the Eje Ibaji HRH John Egwemi commended N-HYPPADEC for the assistance often rendered to his communities often ravaged by perennial flooding and solicited for construction of road from Idah to Ibaji, noting that as from June to December every years the people of Ibaji can not have access to their communities due to lack of roads.

Also in his remark, the permanent secretary Kogi state ministry of water resources, Omakoju Alhassan, expressed confidence that from the analysis given on the moribund Idah water works and the proposed intervention of the commission in synergy with the state government, the water works would be brought back to standard to end the scarcity of water in the ancient town.