By Salau Ibrahim
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (Kogi SEMA), has commenced the enumeration of persons affected by the 2025 flood disaster across the nine flood-prone Local Government Areas of the state for possible intervention.
The exercise, which is aimed at identifying genuine flood victims and assessing the extent of losses suffered during the 2025 flooding, is being conducted across the affected communities under the supervision of the Executive Secretary of Kogi SEMA, Alhaji Mouktar Atimah.
Speaking during the exercise, Atimah, who led the enumeration team to the palace of the Onu Ibaji, His Royal Highness (Dr.) John O. Egwemi, and other traditional rulers and community leaders, said the exercise was a fulfilment of commitments previously made to victims of the 2025 flood disaster in the state.
He assured the traditional rulers and affected communities that all genuine victims would be captured during the enumeration, stressing that any intervention arising from the exercise would be channelled to the rightful beneficiaries.
According to him, the era of victims being short-changed in the distribution of relief materials and other interventions is over, assuring the people that the process would be conducted transparently.
Atimah further stated that the Kogi State Government, under the leadership of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, was deeply concerned about the welfare of the people and would continue to support initiatives aimed at alleviating the suffering of disaster victims.
He commended NEMA for the initiative, describing the enumeration exercise as a laudable step towards ensuring that victims of the 2025 flood receive appropriate government intervention.
The leader of the NEMA delegation, Hajiya Mero, also assured the traditional rulers and affected residents that every genuine person affected by the 2025 flood would be duly enumerated.
She explained that the purpose of the exercise was to establish accurate records of affected persons and ensure that any intervention provided by the government reaches the people who genuinely suffered losses.
Responding on behalf of the traditional rulers and community leaders, the Onu Ibaji, His Royal Highness (Dr.) John O. Egwemi, expressed appreciation to both the Federal and Kogi State Governments for fulfilling their promise to the flood victims.
He assured the enumeration team of the cooperation of the traditional institution and residents, promising a peaceful, transparent and rancour-free exercise throughout the area.
One of the residents enumerated, Mr. Ibrahim Ocheja, whose farmland was badly affected by the 2025 flood, commended NEMA and Kogi SEMA for commencing the exercise.
Ocheja said the enumeration would give affected farmers and other victims renewed hope that government intervention would eventually reach those who suffered losses during the disaster.
The enumeration teams were received and supported by members of the Local Government Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) across the nine flood-prone Local Government Areas of Kogi State.
The exercise is expected to provide reliable data on the number of people affected and the nature and extent of losses recorded during the 2025 flood disaster, thereby assisting the authorities in planning targeted interventions.
