Baroness Valerie Amos visits Kogi State

The United Nations Under Secretary-General (USG) for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Baroness Valerie Amos, who was the former British Leader of the House of Lords, visited Kogi State on Friday, June 14, 2013 on a fact finding mission to ascertain the level of devastation caused by the flood of 2012 in the State, in order to see how the UN, through the OCHA, can be of help.

 

 
The Special Adviser, Environment and Physical Development, Barr. Ladi Ahmed Jatto, who has been liaising with the UN OCHA on behalf of the state, disclosed  that the USG, on arrival, visited the Lokoja Water Works which was badly affected by the flood of 2012. She added that the USG was also taken on a ride through other areas such as Ganaja and Gadumo, which were equally devastated by the flood.
 

In order to get a feel of the people who were affected by the flood, the USG met with traditional rulers of affected areas, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and other stakeholders in Kogi State. During the meeting, she (the USG) expressed her concern over the devastating effects of the flood on the people of Kogi State; she therefore stressed the need for quick response to flood victims, and indicated her readiness to partner with the State Government on flood management and other environmental issues, as well as her readiness to support the State Government in strengthening flood/disaster preparedness activities, whilst looking for ways to assist with technical support.
It would be recalled that following the 2012 flood disaster in Kogi State, the State Governor, Capt. Idris Ichalla Wada undertook several proactive measures to alleviate and redress the gruesome situation. Some of the measures were:
  -  The setting up of a Flood Relief Committee, headed by the Deputy Governor, Arc. Yomi Awoniyi
  -  Embarking on dry season farming to avert a looming food shortage due to the submergence of farmlands in the flood
  -  The identification of flood plains with a view to resettling the people whilst discouraging them from building on flood plains.
  -  Awareness campaign on the possibility of floods in the State, following the prediction of NIMET during the Agency’s last Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) in Abuja.

While thanking the Baroness and her team for their visit, the Governor of Kogi State, Capt. Idris Ichalla Wada, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, and Chairman, Flood Relief Committee, Arc. Yomi Awoniyi, advised the people of the State to be patient; he also admonished those living on flood plains to relocate to higher ground, as the Government of Kogi State has not forgotten about their plight, adding that it was in order to get adequate support and assistance that Baroness Valerie and her team from the UN-OCHA were invited to the State.

Delivering her parting speech, the USG said she is “… aware of the funds required to rebuild infrastructure, but that is not within my powers in the United Nations, but I have UNDERTAKEN to work with the State to see if we can identify areas where funding may be made available.