Flood: HYPPADEC commences Erosion Control project in Kogi

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By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja

As part of efforts to address the perennial flooding of Lokoja-Abuja highway and riverine communities in Kogi, the Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) has commenced line drainage of highly flood prone Koton-Karfe town.

Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, Managing Director of HYPPADEC disclosed this while speaking at the official handing over of the Erosion Control Project site to the contractors, Atimpsuda Integrated Services Limited on Thursday in Koton-Karfe.

Yelwa (Garkuwan-Igu) said the Commission regretted that year-in, year-out, commuters and motorists as well as members of the Koton-Karfe community had continued to suffer untold hardship with loss of lives, property and means of livelihood to flooding.

He said that some time ago, the community complained to the Commission about de-silting the drains and opening them up in order to address the frequent flooding.

Yelwa said that it was against this backdrop that the commission “quickly organised a tripartite meeting with the Ministries of Environment and Works – the State, HYPPADEC and the local communities.

He said that HYPPADEC engaged a consultant to evolve an intervention programme of line drainage of the silted drainages.

The Managing Director said that the silt removing erosion control project covering about 500 meters, was awarded at a cost of N220 million to Atimpsuda Integrated Services Limited and to be completed within eight weeks.

Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Victor Adewale Omofaiye said that going by the contractor’s assurances; the project would be completed in two months.

“Kogi State is strategically located and flood will always come when we least expect and now that we even heard that going by NiMET prediction that flood is coming again we have embarked on mitigation measures.

He said that the state had planned to embark on an a forestation programme as part of measures to mitigate flooding and erosion menace across the 10 most affected Local Government Areas.

Alhaji Isa Ozi-Salami, Member representing Kogi State on the Board of HYPPADEC, also speaking thanked the Koton-Karfe community for their cooperation with the Commission.

He assured that the commission would do everything possible to assist and succour the riverine communities.

Earlier at the palace of Ohimege-Igu of Koton-Karfe, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Sani Isah-Koto in an emotion-laden voice said “Our fears have started again with the rains coming.”