Management team of Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (KOSEMA), ably led by the Executive Secretary, Alh Mouktar Atimah along with the Head Abuja Operations NEMA, Alhaji Zakari Abubakar and his team with other emergency stakeholders paid a courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor of the State, His Excellency Elder Joel Salifu where he was briefed on disstressed notice of flood incident received from Kabba-Bunu LGA and Sarki-Numa in Lokoja LGA.
In his remarks, the KOSEMA Board Chairman, Deputy Governor, thanked the team for the visit. He further stated some of the achievements made by State Government especially in the areas of emergency management and promised more support to the disaster response and intervention.
While responding on behalf of his Principal, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, he appreciated Federal Government through National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for the various interventions and relief materials received so far by the victims of different forms of disasters in Kogi State.
In another development and furtherance to the proactive mornitoring of flash flood impact in the State, the team conducted on-the-spot assessment to ascertain the magnitude of flood disaster on the affected populations, and the immediate needs of the victims in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area.
The exercise covered various communities in Kabba-Bunu and witnessed presence of relevant stakeholders which included Kogi State Fire Service represented by the state Director Hajia Sule Rabbi, Kabba-Bunu LGA Chairman, traditional leaders and members of the host community.
According to the Executive Secretary KOSEMA, “We have come to sympathize with the community and see things for the State Administration led by the workaholic Chief Servant His Execellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo and the Ferderal Government through National Emergency Management Agency to provide relief materials and mitigate the impact of the flood disaster”. He further urged the community members to support government’s efforts by stopping indiscriminate dumping of refuse into waterways and erecting buildings on water channels as major factors to flooding.
In his own remark, Head Abuja Operations NEMA, Alhaji Zakari Abubakar, representing the Director General NEMA, Hajia Zubaida Umar, sympathized with the victims, and stressed futher that the office received the wreak notice of flood incident and the team came for assessment, Promising to do a good job and report back to the Director General for prompt government’s interventions.
During the assessment, the team paid a courtesy visit to the Obaro of Kabba, HRM Solomon Dele Awoniyi, the chairman of Okunland Traditional Council. The visit underscores the importance of collaboration between the government and traditional institutions in disaster management.
While welcoming the team, the Obaro of Kabba, HRM Solomon Dele Awoniyi, appreciated the visit for prompt response to the situation and appealed for government’s quick interventions.
In his remarks, the Kabba-Bunu LGA Chairman, Barr. (Hon.) Michael Zaccheous, lauded the visit, commended the State and Federal Government for its swift and quick response, and promised enhanced collaborative partnership.
In the same vane, the joint assessment team were in Lokoja LGA over the flood incident in Sarki-Numa community. The team along with the council Chairman Comrade Abdullahi Àdamu took the tour to assess the affected people and places for a comprehensive impact assessment of the flood.
The Executive Chairman appreciated the team and requested for a quick response from the Federal government through National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in order to alleviate the plight of the affected persons.
Salau Ibrahim , PRO, SEMA
