The Kogi State Government has reiterated its commitment to tackling erosion and flooding through the deployment of infrastructure designed to provide lasting solutions to ecological challenges across the State.
Speaking in Lokoja on Saturday, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, said the Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo-led administration is determined to change the face of Kogi with solution-tailored infrastructure that guarantees safety, sustainability, and improved quality of life for the people.
According to him, newly constructed drainage systems in parts of the State, including Etahi, OMIGBO and Olubojo in Ankpa, have already begun delivering results.
“Our drains are working as designed. Rainwater is being efficiently collected and channelled away, reducing the risk of flooding. Within minutes of heavy rainfall, the water is soaked away, leaving communities safe and accessible,” he explained.
The Commissioner further disclosed that the government is leveraging the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project to strengthen flood control measures and reclaim land previously destroyed by ecological challenges.
“Kogi ACReSAL under Barr. Ladi Jatto has become a game-changing platform for the administration as we are making the best of the opportunities offered to drive sustainable solutions to ecological challenges”, he said.
Fanwo stressed that the administration’s environmental initiatives reflect Governor Ododo’s vision of building resilient communities through sustainable projects that directly address the peculiar needs of the State.
“Kogi is no longer just reacting to ecological disasters; we are proactively deploying infrastructure that prevents them. This is a new dawn in our approach to flood control and environmental sustainability,” he added.
In 2024, the state was ravaged by a devastating flood that flooded thousands of houses with water and displaced over a million people, with the water level still rising. Nine of the 21 local government areas in the state were affected by the flood
Recall, PUNCH Online on August 9th 2024, reports that Ododo signed a contract with two construction firms to the tune of N29.9bn for the commencement of civil works at Etahi, Omigbo and Ankpa erosion sites across the three senatorial districts of the state.
