The Kogi State Government says it is committed to providing long-term solutions to erosion and flooding through the deployment of sustainable infrastructure across the state.
Speaking in Lokoja on Saturday, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, said Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s administration is determined to transform Kogi with projects that guarantee safety, resilience, and improved quality of life.
He noted that newly constructed drainage systems in Etahi, Omigbo, and Olubojo in Ankpa Local Government Area are already yielding results.
“Our drains are working as designed. Rainwater is being efficiently collected and channelled away, reducing the risk of flooding. Within minutes of heavy rainfall, the water is soaked away, leaving communities safe and accessible,” Fanwo explained.
He added that the government is leveraging the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project to strengthen flood control measures and reclaim land previously devastated by ecological disasters.
“Kogi ACReSAL under Barr. Ladi Jatto has become a game-changing platform for the administration as we are making the best of the opportunities offered to drive sustainable solutions to ecological challenges,” he said.
Fanwo stressed that the state is moving from reactive measures to preventive action. “Kogi is no longer just reacting to ecological disasters; we are proactively deploying infrastructure that prevents them. This is a new dawn in our approach to flood control and environmental sustainability,” he added.
Kogi has faced repeated flooding crises, with a devastating incident in 2024 displacing more than one million people and submerging nine local government areas. In August 2024, Governor Ododo approved contracts worth N29.9 billion with two construction firms for civil works at erosion sites in Etahi, Omigbo, and Ankpa, spread across the three senatorial districts.
