By Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab
In order to control flooding in Koton-Karfe community in Kogi local government area of Kogi state, the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) has awarded a N220 million contract for the construction and de-silting of culverts.
Speaking during the hand-over of the erosion control project to the contractor, Atimpsuda Integrated Service Limited at Koton-Karfe, the managing director of HYPPADEC, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, said the project would be completed in the next two months to avert instances of yearly flooding that affected houses and highways in the community.
Yelwa, who was bestowed with a traditional title of Garkuwa of Igu Kingdom, said the sum of N220 million would cover the project while refuse dump equipment would be provided for the communities in order to put an end to indiscriminate dumping of refuse on water channels.
“Today’s visit is at the instance of our last visit to communities in Koton-Karfe. When we came the communities complained to us about the poor drainage system that causes flooding every year. That is why we organised a meeting between the people of the communities, the state ministry of environment and the management of HYPPADEC where we went round and saw the challenges.
“We discovered that erosion has damaged about 600 metres drainage system and blocked by refuse and sand. We are appealing to the locals to desist from dumping of refuse in drainages,” he said.
In his remarks, the Ohimegye Igu Koton-Karfe Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Sani Isa-Koto, said he was elated by the hand-over of the project to the contractor, adding that incidents of flooding would be now minimised in the community.
