Kogi lost N40bn to Floods - Governor

Property valued at over  N40bn had been lost due to the flooding disaster in nine local governments Kogi State, Governor Idris Wada, said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, residents of the 332 communities affected by the floods  fear sickness outbreak as a result of their exposure to contaminated water and mosquito bites.

The  LGs include  Kogi, Lokoja, Basa, Ofue, Igalamiala,  Iddah, Ebeja and Ajaokuta

Wada, in a statement by his Deputy Press Secretary, Mr. Michael Abu, said preliminary report on the disaster showed that  residents of  over 100 communities suffered heavy losses.

The governor said this when officials of the State Emergency Management Agency briefed him on the disaster.

However, Wada, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Yomi Awoniyi, said   the government was still taking inventory of property destroyed.

He said, “We have about 100,000 registered displaced persons camped  in nine centres across the state.’’

He described the floods as the worst since 1936, and expressed his fears that it could create food scarcity in the state.

He said the government would assess the farms  affected by floods with the aim of compensating   thier owners.

 

A resident of one of the affected communities, Iorliam Iorwuse, said the people had been suffering mosquitoe bites, adding that if nothing urgent was done many of the residents could be ill.

A victim in one of the relief camps in Lokoja, who pleaded anonymity, said the camp was overcrowded.

He said, “We are likely to be infected because the toilets are for general use and inadequate.”

But the Deputy Governor said, “The state government had set up makeshift camps in schools in Lokoja and Idah to cater for the displaced persons.

“We are aware of the possibilities of outbreak of epidemics in these camps and government is worried about it.”

 Source: Punch