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By Akanji Alowoludo, Bauchi
The Director General of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) Dr Ibrahim Kabir on Friday, joined other government officials on an assessment visit to flood ravaged communities in Cheledi, Kirfi Local Government area of the state.
The visit was to assess the level of damages as a result of water flooding in the area and to report back to the Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed for immediate provision of relief materials to the affected persons and to profer possible solutions to the disaster.
While receiving the delegation at the council chamber,, the Caretaker Chairman of Kirfi local government area, Hon Abdulkadir Umar Dewu appreciated the Governor for sympathising with the affected people and requested for immediate interventions to ameliorate their sufferings.
The chairman further added that, gathering of clouds signifying rainfall has become a terrifying experience to him and his people, that was exactly what happened last Wednesday when heavy rainfall washed away many houses, destroyed farmland, food items as well as domestic animals thereby rendering many households homeless.
As an expert and professional environmentalist, the Director General said that the delegation has observed and evaluated about six sources of the water that comes directly to the town thereby causing flooding.
He assured the Council’s officials, the District head and the community members that work will soon begin in earnest to divert the water, especially the one coming from the hilly area so as to reduce the reoccurrences of the disaster.
Also, as the Project Coordinator of ACReSAL, Dr Kabir assured the Council chairman and the District Head that ACReSAL project will address the issue of flooding in the area through a well coordinated project and enjoined them to always support and corporate with authorities to achieve the target objectives.
The Commissioners of Housing and Environment and that of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Rt Hon Danlami Ahmed Kawule and Hajiya Hajara Yakubu Wanka respectively and member Representing Kirfi Constituency, Hon Barr Habib all sympathised with the people of the area over the unfortunate incidents and called on them to consider what happened as an act of God.
They also informed them that the visit was to ascertain the level of destruction from flooding with a view to provide relief materials that includes shelter and food materials as well as to come up with a well designed action.
It was, especially the provision of enough drainages, evacuation of sand and redirecting the water outside town and to also look into possibility of relocating some communities to a more safer place.
Danlami Kawule who led the delegation, represented the Governor at the exercise.
The Wamban Bauchi and the District Head Kirfi, Alhaji Lawal Muhammad Kirfi and Sarkin Cheledi, Alhaji Muhammad Bello all expressed happiness for the visit and requested for immediate interventions to the affected people.
They called for a fast track action for bringing an end to this ugly situation, calling for same action in Guyaba and Riban Garmu.
On behalf of the affected people, Mallam Sani Adamu Cheledi also appreciated the delegation for the visit and requested for humanitarian supports, provision of adequate drainages.
He hoped that the visit will provide a final solution to the Seasonal problem, especially as the NIMET report indicated that Kirfi is among the red zones of flooding in the state.
Sani Adamu then commended the DG BASEPA for his tireless commitments, urging him to maintain the tempo and express optimism that solutions are on the way.
