By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

The Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, has visited flood-ravaged areas in the state to assess the situation.

Accompanied by officials of the State Emergency Management Agency ( SEMA), led by its Chairman, Sani Dododo, Governor Bagudu on Saturday visited Augie, Argungu and Arewa local government communities, to asses rice farmlands, roads and bridges affected by the flood.

The Governor, who defied the difficult terrains of the hinterlands, took time to personally interact with the victims, commiserated with them, diligently and patiently listened to their needs, with a view to assisting them.

Speaking tojournalists at Bakin Gada, in Argungu local government, shortly after inspecting rice farmlands submerged by the floods, Bagudu, flanked by the National President of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, expressed utmost shock over the incident, describing it as regrettable.

“Things like this happen; we are not unique in the world; it is regrettable. We have seen in the Hurricane Laura and other hurricanes similar and other worst problems,” he told the farmers.

The Governor expressed optimism that Nigeria, which according to him, had witnessed similar disasters before, would surmount the problem.

He assured the farmers that, the Federal Government with its institutions like the CBN and other organisations, would respond to the problem effectively.

He averred: “We are responding to disasters and supporting each other, and I believe the FGN, the CBN and other associations will respond to this effectively and timely too.”

While thanking the CBN and RIFAN for their concern over the flood situation in Kebbi, Bagudu equally appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari's leadership derive to making Nigeria self sufficient in food production.

He announced that, the President would soon summon a meeting of the National Food Security Council and the problem of flood disasters, among others, would be discussed.

The National President of RIFAN, Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, while commenting on the situation, said he led the North West State Chapters to Kebbi State, to physically see for themselves the devastating effect of the flood to rice farms.

According to Goronyo, they will also pay a courtesy visit to the governor, as well as to declare the preceding dry season programme 2020 in the state.

Goronyo described the devastating effect of the flood to rice farms as beyond comment, saying: “I can say that the devastating effect of the flood to farms is beyond comment.

“I don’t think in the most recent time, this kind of flood has happened to this level, the only thing i can say is that, the Almighty God is in control.

“Everything that we have seen is from God and we must thank Him and i know He can replace whatever we lost, with what we can even imagine.”

Goronyo assured the farmers that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had sent in its officials from the Development Finance Department, to come to Kebbi and assess the situation, for immediate action.

The CBN Governor, according to him, had directed RIFAN to mobilise one million farmers that can quickly produce five million metric tonnes for the dry season commencing in November 2020, for support.

Earlier, Governor Bagudu had visited Birnin Tudu, Tiggi, Shaharma and Agoda communities in Augie local government, while in Argungu local government also, the governor was at Matan Fada, Bakin Gada, Zanginawa and Yeldu.

At Sabon Gari community, Birnin Tudu, Magaji Amadu, the village Head of the area complained to the governor how the flood submerged their rice farmlands.

He said that, the flood was a culmination of both the continuous intensive rains being witnessed now, as well as the water released from the dam.

An elderly farmer, Alhaji Aliyu Soda, while appealing for assistance from the government, said that, for over 11 years, they have never seen a flood disaster as devastating as this one.

He made a passionate appeal to the government to assist them with farming inputs such as assorted seeds and fertilizers, among others.

The governor, while commiserating with the victims, assured them of his government's intention to assist them.

At Kwakkwashe village where the State Government through SEMA distributed relief materials to the displaced victims, the governor, while commiserating with the community said government was worried about their plight.

Bagudu further charged them to cooperate with the authorities, as they should temporarily relocate to a safe haven.

He urged them to continue to enrol their children to schools, maintain clean environment, use facemasks to guard against COVID-19.

The governor also advised the community to organise their youths, to form vigilante services, to boost security in the area.

Alhaji Sani Dododo, the Chairman of SEMA, had earlier told the governor that, apart from the efforts of the agency in the relocation of the victims, relief materials were donated to them.

They included 20 bags of rice,10 bags millet, 10 bags of guinea corn, 5 bags salt, 30 cartons of macaroni,5 cartons of tomatoes,50 bundles of Shadda, 50 bundles of atampa and 7 jerricans of groundnut oil.

Others were 5 cooking pots, 100 plastic kettles,100 plastic buckets,100 plastic cups, 100 platic plates, 100 mosqutoe nets, 5 cartons of bathing soaps, 100 plastic mats,100 blankets and truckload of firewood.

The District Head of the area, Alhaji Suleman Mera (Sarkin Gobir Lailaba), thanked the governor for the quick response of the government, while he described the government of Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu as people oriented government.

The governor and his entourage had also inspected various roads and bridges damaged by the floods in the local governments he visited.

At Jefeji community, in Kangiwa local government, where the community was cut off by the damaged bridge, the governor expressed readiness of his government to repair the bridge.

The governor was accompanied at the visit by SEMA officials, RIFAN officials, State House of Assembly member representing the area, the Chairmen of Augie, Argungu and Arewa among others.

It will be recalled that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had forecasted that Kebbi would be among the states to be hit by flood this year.

Update news