From Rose Ejembi and Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has again appealed to the Federal Government to dredge the River Benue to mitigate the flood ravaging Benue communities.
The governor made this call while speaking to newsmen after he went round flood-affected communities in Makurdi and its environs.
He charged members of the National Assembly to make a case for Benue State saying “The challenge we have about the release of the water from Ladgo Dam is as a result of the shallow river. River Benue and River Katsina Ala are filled with sand.
“I’m aware that the government of Umar Musa Yar’ Adua gave a contract for the dredging of the river, and I’m surprised that until today nothing has been done and nobody is talking about it, The contractor who collected the money is not questioned or brought to book and they are allowing our people to be suffering year in year out.
“This same flood happened to us in 2012 and 10 years after, we are seeing this. It means that there is that likelihood that 10 years after, 2032, we may be having a repeat of this magnitude of flood.
“As someone who is affected directly, I will on this day of independence commiserate with my people spanning from Katsina Ala, Buruku, Guma, Makurdi, Agatu and several other communities affected by flood and appeal to members of House of Representatives from Benue State to take steps to address the matter by finding out the status of the contract and why the company has not executed it.”
Ortom insisted that the only way the flood can be stopped was to create an enabling environment for the water to flow along the river.
He said: “If that contract can be terminated and another one awarded, that will help us. So through you, we are begging the Federal Government to intervene in this matter and dredge river Benue.”
He noted with pains that over 160, 000 persons were now IDPs in various places in a state that has been ravaged by insecurity activities orchestrated by Fulani herdsmen.
Describing it as another big challenge, Governor Ortom called on good spirited individuals, humanitarians and philanthropists to come to the help of the IDPs in Benue.
The Executive Secretary of State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Emmanuel Shior, had informed that upon the directive and mobilisation by state government, SEMA had distributed relief materials to over 24 communities affected by flood.