BY JOSEPH AMEDU, Lokoja
From the year 2012, the approach of rainy season on annual basis brings hope, fear and trepidation to more than 10 riverine communities in Kogi State.
For those on the hinterland, the season comes with the hope of good crop yields as it affords the farmers the opportunity to resume farming activities. In these agrarian communities, gods are appeased with sacrifices and the faithful worship God and pray for bumper harvests with every cloud, a sign of answered prayers.
For those living and earning their living as fishermen with natural and ancestral habitats on the shores of the great Rivers Niger and Benue, every formed cloud in the sky evokes fear of possible flood onslaught that has become an annual harbinger of frustrations.
In the Year, 2012 and 2022, the rivers, the hills and valleys around Koton-Karfe and environs, in a dangerous conspiracy, vomited the volumes of water they had held in check for years and went on rampage.
The rain, accentuated by increase in water density of the River Niger on its journey from Burkina Faso through Mali and Niger to Nigeria, with the release of water from the Lagdo dam in neighbouring Cameroon, in a symphonic orchestration of vehemence, overthrew residences, business premises, farms and other sources of livelihood of the people.
The flood was reported to be at a level not seen in a hundred years prior to this. Farmers counted their loses as homes were submerged by floodwaters, livelihoods lost and socio-economic activities tragically disrupted.
Prof. Temi Ologunorisa, an internationally renowned expert in Climate and Environmental Science, could not agree more as he recounted the devastation, destruction and hardships brought on Nigerians by the flood.
He said, “The Niger-Benue trough, which spans across several States in Nigeria, has experienced devastating floods that have caused loss of lives and destruction of properties as witnessed in the years 2012 and 2022.”
The 2022 flood which affected 33 of Nigeria’s 36 states, broke the hitherto unbroken record of the 2012 flooding which forced many hydrophobic travelers from the Southern and Northern parts of the country to either truncate their journeys or fly.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), reporting on the incident in the second week of October, 2022 said: “Nigeria is suffering its worst flooding in a decade, forcing 1.4 million people from their homes. The central city of Lokoja is one of the worst-affected areas – Kogi state – and residents here are doing their best to cope.”
The flood submerged the Lokoja-Koton-Karfe axis of the Lokoja-Abuja highway culminating in gridlocks and meting untold hardship.
Relevant authorities including the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) and its state counterpart, SEMA, Ministries of Transport and Environment, the Red Cross among many others, made frantic efforts to assuage the effect of the flood on the affected.
At this point, the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) stood out from the crowd of authorities with influence on ecological disasters, to provide succour to the affected communities.
N-HYPPADEC, has the core of mandate of formulating policies and guidelines for the development of hydroelectric power producing areas and managing ecological menace culminating from operations of dams and other hydroelectric power activities.
The Commission emerged with a resolve to embarked on line drainage of the highly flood-prone Koton-Karfe town to address the perennial flooding of Lokoja-Abuja highway and other riverine communities in the area.
After due assessment of the water channels, the Commission “quickly” organised a tripartite meeting with the Kogi State Ministries of Environment and Works representing the State, N-HYPPADEC and the local communities.
N-HYPPADEC engaged a consultant to evolve an intervention programme of line drainage of the silted drainages and afterwards, engaged a contractor, Atimpsuda Integrated Services Limited.
This was in response to the community’s earlier appeal to the Commission to desilt the drains and open them up as a feasible measure to address the frequent flooding.
According to Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, year-in, year-out, hardships with loss of lives, property and means of livelihood to flooding are faced by Nigerians traveling down South or up North as well as members of the Koton-Karfe community.
The former Ohimege-Igu of Koton-Karfe, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Sani Isah-Koto speaking on the menacing flood in an emotion-laden voice, had said, “Our fears have started growing again with the rains coming.”
The traditional father said the coming of the rains every year sent jitters down the spine of the community members. He commended N-HYPPADEC for their relentless efforts in providing succour for the communities.
The joy of the people of Koton-Karfe and Igu Kingdom knew no bounds when N-HYPPADEC announced the completion and inauguration of the project to the admiration of all.
Thursday May 2, 2023 marked a significant milestone in the lives of the people of the Kingdom as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, performed the Inaugural ceremony of the Flood/Erosion Control Project.
The palace of Ohimege-Igu of Koton-Karfe was agog and in celebration mood with traditional dances from various communities as well as the Tiv Community in the area.
The SGF minced no words in commending N-HYPPADEC for the high quality of job executed.
He said, “Today marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to address the challenges posed by extreme weather events and natural disasters, particularly in Kogi and other member states of N-HYPPADEC.
“We are all too familiar with the devastating impact of floods and other calamities on the lives and livelihoods of our fellow citizens in these communities.
“In fact, the establishment of N-HYPPADEC was a proactive response to these challenges, and the swift action the Commission has taken following the 2022 floods, reflects its commitment to safeguarding our communities.
“The 2022 floods, which ravaged various parts of the country, including Koton-Karfe, resulted in untold human suffering and economic disruption.
“The repercussions of this disaster were felt far and wide, affecting not only the residents of this community but also disrupting vital routes that connect different regions of our country.
“The gridlock that ensued here at Koton-Karfe on the Abuja-Lokoja highway served as a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive flood control measures in this area”, Akume pointed out.
He opined that With the inauguration of the critical infrastructure and commitment of the Commission to replicate such efforts in other flood-prone communities, “we can look forward to a future where the specter of devastating floods no longer looms over our communities.
“This project aligns with the vision of the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. It is one of the several markers signifying that we are moving into a new era of resilience and progress for our nation”, he said.
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, represented by his Deputy, Elder Joel Oyibo, in his remarks described the project as a giant stride by N-HYPPADEC and commended the management of the Commission for the intervention to save the people and the community from the negative effect of erosion.
He said that the scourge of erosion had plagued communities in Kogi State for far too long causing untold hardships and devastation to both the people and the land.
Governor Ododo urged the people to “continue to invest in sustainable development initiatives, embrace innovative solutions and prioritize the well-being of our communities above everything else.”
Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, the (Katukan Yauri), Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, reiterated the commitment of the Commission to serving communities and mitigating the impact of natural disasters.
The MD described the project as a journey of solidarity and resilience, designing and implementing a comprehensive flood control solution to address the recurrent floods plaguing Koton-Karfe.
“Through meticulous assessment and in-depth analysis, we identified the root cause of the flooding, which was a result of the unchecked flow of water from hills upstream, exacerbated by natural topographical features”, he said.
The former Commissioner in Kebbi State said that the project which represented an investment of about 420 million Naira, stood not just as a physical structure but as a symbol of resilience, unity and collective action.
“The drainage spans a total length of 625 meters, comprising various components. We have integrated a line stretching 499.5 meters, complemented by an earth drain of 125.5 meters.
“Intersecting these drains are 4 double cell culverts, strategically placed to facilitate water flow and to enhance accessibility within the vicinity, we have incorporated three pedestrian bridges for safer passage of residents and commuters.
“Additionally, to manage surface runoff efficiently, inlet block line drains totaling 161 meters have been installed along the drainage route, with a stone-pitched area of 550 meters to avoid erosion and ensure longevity and stability in the face of harsh weather conditions.
“Beyond flood mitigation, the health benefits of this drainage system are substantial”, the multiple traditional titles holder explained.
The sitting Ohimege-Igu of Koton-Karfe, Dr Saidu Akawu-Salihu described the 2012 and 2022 flood as unique to the extent that it almost engulfed the whole zone of Kogi Local Government and commended the Federal Government for first and foremost conceiving N-HYPPADEC.
He said that the drainage had been an age-long problem for Koton-Karfe community saying, “As a matter of fact the settlement at the Western end of the drainage had always suffered annual dislocation from flood arising from heavy rainfalls.
“But Your Excellency, I can say that this last year rainfall came in massive manner but there was no single flood as a result of this drainage.
“So, we can never forget N-HYPPADEC we can never thank N-HYPPADEC enough”, he said, as he further confirmed the traditional title of “Garkuwa” conferred on the MD by his predecessor, saying that he stood by the award and was looking forward to celebrating it with the recipient.
Among its numerous feats, N-HYPPADEC appears to have struck the bull’s eye with the Koton-Karfe Flood Control Project as the management team left the inauguration ceremony with bags of accolades for their sense of commitment, diligence, perseverance and doggedness on issues that concern the welfare of riverine communities.
Several speakers reiterated the need to make government agencies functional through employment and engagement of capable hands, ready and willing to deploy their expertise and experiences on the delivery of their mandates with patriotic zeal.
N-HYPPADEC in the state has made several interventions among communities in its 10 riverine Local Government Areas in provision of relief materials, relocation of flood victims, free medical outreach in its rural health outreach programme.
It Is also providing logistics (motorcycles for the communities), scholarships for indigent students from the catchment areas in Tertiary Institutions, Skill Acquisition under its Youth Transformation Programme (YTP), provision of life jackets, training and retraining of staff.
