Gov. Bello charges HYPADEC to tackle menace of flooding

The Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has charged the governing council of Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPADEC) to be proactive in tackling the menace of flooding affecting agricultural activities in the state.

Governor Bello gave the charge Wednesday when the

governing council of the HYPADEC led by its chairman, Barrister Joseph Terfa Ityau, paid a courtesy call on the governor in Government House , Lokoja.

He said the state has suffered colossal damage and devastation as a result of perennial flooding, adding that many farmland and fish ponds have been washed away by flood as a result of over flown of river Benue and Niger through various dams in the north, thereby rendering the farmers in the affect communities homeless without their sources of livelihood.

The governor who was represented by his deputy, Edward Onoja, appealed to the commission for urgent attention to alleviate the suffering of the people living and dwelling along riverine areas in Kogi state.

The Ohimege of Koton-Karfe kingdom, HRM Alhaji Abdulrazak Isah Koto, while receiving members of the commission in his palace at Koton-Karfe, appealed to the federal government to urgently revisit issues of River Niger dredging to prevent the annual over flown of water that has been affecting the livelihood of the people in the communities.

The monarch noted that Kogi -Koton Karfe local government is the actual place where River Benue and Niger met, AND ADDED that settlers at the river bank in the local government are always at the receiving end of flooding.

“During rainy season, the river over flow its bank, thereby destroying our farm lands and hindering our people who are predominantly farmers and fishermen to earn their livelihood,” he said.

Earlier, the chairman of HYPADEC, Barrister Joseph Terfa Ityau, stated that the commission was signed into law in 2010 to cover Kogi, Kwara , Kebbi and Niger, adding that the law was amended to include Benue and Plateau states.

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