Respite has come for the inhabitants of four communities in Kogi State that have been ravaged by the incessant flooding, which has led to hardship, loss of lives and property for years.
Daily Trust gathered that the inhabitants of these communities along the River Niger bank in the state have been under the torment of water flooding as a result of activities of dams, resulting in cutting off of access roads, prevalent of epidemic diseases and lack of potable water.
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Addressing one of the affected inhabitants of the communities in Onyedega, the headquarters of Ibaji Local Government Area at the weekend, the Managing Director of HYPPADEC, Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa said the commission had embarked on free medical treatment, drilling of boreholes and provision of street lights in Ibaji, Kontokarfei, Ajaokuta and Bassa communities to cushion the effect of the River Niger flooding occasioned by the construction of dams on the river.
The HYPPADEC boss, who was represented by the Director of Finance and Administration of the commission, Mr Jimoh Haruna Gabi, said the inhabitants should take the advantage of the medical outreach to treat the ailment that arose because of the flooding in the community for decades.
In his remarks, the local government Chairman, Hon. Williams Iko-ojo commended the commission for the initiative.
The Eje of Ibaji, HRH John Egwemi, who was at the occasion during the flag-off ceremony, also thanked the commission for the succour.
A beneficiary, Esther Acholo said she has no money to treat herself from an injury she had been nursing when she fell off from a rescue boat four years ago while running away from flooding, stressing that she hoped to get better treatment with this opportunity.
The free medical outreach is expected to run between 12th and 15th March with about 80 medical personnel drawn from across the country to officiate in the program.
