250,000 persons at risk of being displaced by flood — Kogi govt

Kogi State government has disclosed that about 250,000 people across nine communities in the state are at risk of being displaced by flood in this year’s wet season.

42 IDP camps have been established across 8 Local Government Areas, with 9 flood-prone areas communities as part of the state government’s proactive measures towards mitigating the flood impact in this wet season.

The State Commissioner for Environment and Ecological Management, Joseph Oluwasegun, disclosed this during a meeting with stakeholders.

He said the meeting was called following rise in water levels of the Rivers Niger and Benue.

Oluwasegun said the meeting was mainly called to fashion out preparations towards the 2024 flood prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

Some key stakeholders, in their separate remarks in their different areas of expertise, spoke on various aspects of flood management, mitigation strategies, emergency response protocols, and evacuation procedures, with a focus on developing a comprehensive plan to minimize the impact in the event of flooding.

Oluwasegun called for a unified response to the impending flood threat, highlighting the need for seamless collaboration among stakeholders.

He further emphasised the need to intensify public sensitization efforts to ensure that flood-prone communities are adequately informed and relocate on time to mitigate hardships of water flooding.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Kogi State Emergency Management Agency ( KOSEMA), Alhaji Mouktar Atimah, disclosed that an Emergency Operation Center would be established to facilitate effective coordination and response to the flood situation.

Stakeholders present at the meeting include officials from the State Emergency Management Agency led by the Executive Secretary, Alh Mouktar Atimah, Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Timothy Ojomah, Commissioner of Water Resources, Engr. Yahaya Farouk, Commissioner for Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Hon. Rabietu Okute, Dr.Ojotule Austin (S/Epid) from Ministry of Health, General Manager, Kogi State Sanitation and Waste Management Board Mr.Ajayi Olufemi as well as officials from state ministry of Environment and Ecological Management.