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Officials of Ecological Fund Office, under the aegis of Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Monday arrived in Kogi for an assessment of flood and erosion sites.
Mr Abdullazeez Umar, who spoke on behalf of the team at the office of Kogi Deputy Governor in Lokoja, said that they were in the state to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the flood and erosion sites.
He said that the exercise was approved by the Federal Executive Council, as part of efforts to tackle the ecological problems facing the country via the effective management, co-ordination, monitoring and implementation of programmes.
Speaking, the Deputy Governor, Mr Simon Achuba, welcomed the team on behalf of the state government and said that their visit to Kogi was timely.
He urged them to find time to visit all the flood and erosion sites across the state.
Achuba said that the state government had declared a state of emergency on the environment, adding that the action reflected the priority which the government had given to environmental issues.
He said that the government has also set aside the last Saturday of every month as environmental sanitation date so as to mobilise the citizens to clean their surroundings.
“We are also very lucky to have someone in charge of the ministry of environment who is very effective and proactive in carrying out her duties.
“As I am talking to you, two communities, Okudigbo and Odochala, in Ibaji Local Government Area (LGA) have been submerged by flood and many properties were destroyed.
“We are very grateful to the Federal Government for taking up these issues and for giving us the needed support which the state deserves,” he said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, said that the ministry had earlier presented the ecological reports on 19 local government areas in the state to the team.
She said the ministry had met with the team and catalogued 194 flood and erosion sites in the 19 local government areas with the help of some experts, which represented 50 per cent of the total areas that were supposed to be covered.
She noted the state government last week organised a workshop on climate change and afforestation, which was attended by many stakeholders.
Besides, Osikoya said that the government had reopened the state’s forest reserves, while launching tree planting for the 2017 afforestation campaign.
“In addition, Kogi shares border with Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and due to the collapsed Second Niger Bridge, the state has recorded unprecedented heavy traffic in the recent times.
“A river in Orokere-Amuro, Mopamuro LGA, has also changed its natural course, using the federal road as its flowing path and flooding some communities along its new route.
“We are very excited that the state governor is paying adequate attention to those special environmental issues, which have drawn the attention of the Ecological Fund Office,’’ she said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Ecological Fund Office has been serving as a strategic instrument for addressing ecological problems nationwide through effective management, coordination, monitoring and implementation of the government’s ecological policies, programmes and projects.
The Deputy Governor, Elder Simon Achuba, and Comm MENR, Hon Rosemary Osikoya, in a Group photograph with the Ecological fund team from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation
Credits: Stephen Adeleye | NAN
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