By Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab
Some residents of Sarkin-Noma, Lokoja, on Monday renewed appeals on the Kogi State and Federal Governments to fix roads and expand drains in the state to curb flooding.
The residents, in separate interviews with NationalWatch Tv, spoke as an early downpour left several roads flooded, leading to gridlock as traders made their way to their shops.
They said that the morning rain caused gridlock because most of the shallow drains could not withstand the water volume, which was compounded by bad state of some roads.
A resident of Sarkin-Noma, Alhaji Baba Usman, told NationalWatch Tv that his entire street was flooded due to poor drainage channels.
“The entire area was like a river; it was difficult for us to even leave our houses. The roads are bad, and every exit from the community was locked down by flood; it was difficult.
“The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) should go back to the drawing board to give Sarkin-Noma and NATACO areea a facelift; if not, it will soon turn into a slum,’’ he said.
A resident of Galili, Mrs Salome David, said that adjoining streets in her area were flooded, affecting movement.
“In my area, all the streets around us were flooded, and because I did not want to walk through the flood which was almost at waist level, I had to take a vehicle across, instead of walking to the bus stop,’’ she said.
A fruit seller, who simply identified herself as Iya Ahmed, also appealed to government to expand drainage channels in the area.
“I have been living in this area and selling in this market for over 15 years and this problem is always like this every year.
“We are always afraid when the cloud gathers because we know that will be the beginning of problems for us both at home and in this market; we want both Kogi State and Federal Government to help up with big gutters.
Explaining the ordeal, the Hakimi of Sarkin-Noma, Musa Sarki Ball said properties worth millions of naira have all been destroyed.
He appeals to the Kogi state government and Lokoja local government council as well as relevant authorities to salvage their community from imminent lost of lives and properties.
According to him, “Since the beginning of this year’s raining season our people have always take risk to move from one place to another because of the flood and social lives had become terrible.”
Speaking during the exercise, the Councilor representing ward ‘E’, Hon. Umar Aisha said that the perennial flood has brought untold hardship to the residents, especially women who had found it difficult to access healthcare during childbirth and nursing children.
She said government is already aware of the situation in Sarkin-Noma and other areas affected by flood.
She urged the people to remain calm, adding that the Kogi state Government will intervene.
The Councilor enjoined communities ravaged by flood to report it to the Local Government Emergency Unit to enable the council take action.
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