By Uche Onyeali
Kogi State government has called on the federal government and international donor agencies to come to its aid, as flood sacks over 200 communities.
Addressing newsmen at Kotonkarfe, Kogi Local Government Area, yesterday, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo said a major “humanitarian crisis is brewing in the state, as close to two million people are currently homeless.”
He said the “National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, cannot afford to wait any longer” as the state is already “overwhelmed.”
“We are in a dire emergency situation at the moment and this is sad. The flood disaster is devastating and over 200 communities have already been submerged with close to two million people displaced.
“As we speak, nine of the 21 local government areas are affected which is almost 50 percent of the number of local governments. We have opened about 68 Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camps but they cannot hold that massive population. Schools, hospitals and other infrastructure have been destroyed completely.
“Seeing the aged and little children in this kind of distress is a horrible sight. We did not lose any life because we activated the early warning and enlightenment plan. We are expending huge resources daily but it is inadequate. We call on the federal government, international donor agencies, NGOs and philanthropists to come to our aid,” he said.
Fanwo said the state government had earlier set up a Flood Disaster Response Team under the leadership of the deputy governor, assuring the victims of government’s support in the face of the natural disaster.
Some of the local government areas affected include Kogi, Lokoja, Adavi, Ofu, Ajaokuta, Idah and Ibaji.
