The prevailing flood mence in kogi state for the past two weeks has not been an issue of concern to some of our leaders. Oh it is a natural disaster that is a phenomenon that will come and go. That is a perspective some of us will view it but to a social and economic analysts it is more than that scope. kogi state a north central state is surrounded by some states like Kwara state, Benue state, Niger state, FCT, Plateau state and Kaduna state. That apart, it is confluence site where the two major rivers that cut across Nigeria met. River Niger and River Benue had their holy wedding in Lokoja the capital city of kogi state. Before the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914, Nadel (1842) reported that because of large volume of water, Lokoja was a trading point for products from outside the country.
That informed the establishment of Royal Niger Company, United Africa Company (UAC) and other trading partners hence the huge commercial activity in Lokoja. Consequently the rivers over flowing their banks was not new but most critical is our inability to manage this disaster over the years especially with increasing technological changes in human development in 21st century. If Dubia was a desert some years back and is transformed to an economic trade centre of the world what is wrong with us here? The flood disaster come with huge economic lost not only to Kogi state but to the entire nation. There is the massive restriction of movement of people, goods and services from north to south, east to north, West to north and vice verse. Apart from life lost as a result of flood, large farm products were lost to the water. what an economic waste.
The 2012 flood was a child play when compared to what we now experience in 2022. So many communities were all submerged into water making people to be home less. Farm products that were lost which has vast consequences on availability of these products to the market. Basically our basic economics will reveal to us that when supply is low the demand will be high which has effects on the cost. Today we are talking about alternative route to the capital city of Nigeria. These should be an issue of concern to our leaders to address. If we failed to find solution we should expect more harder flood mence in other year’s to come.
Let me on this note appeal to the Federal Government to swing into action by conducting a critical study of the immediate and remote causes of the flood and put in place necessary mechinary of finding a lasting solutions to the mence. The people and communities affected should be rehabilitated to restore hope to humanity. The state Government in the affected states should create alternative routes should this reoccur again in the nearest future. Enough is enough. Let’s regain back our land from flood
[08/10, 9:41 am] Samuel Former House Of Assembly Staff Shiaka: This effort is worth commendable. Let’s all assist to alleviate the suffering of the people affected.
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