Kogi Assembly tasks Env. Min. on mitigating ecological disasters

***Calls for short, long-term measures to tackle ecological challenges

By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

KOGI House of Assembly has tasked the State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to immediately undertake on-the-spot assessment of Local Government Areas affected by ecological disasters across the state, with a view to proffering solutions.

The directive was contained in a resolution of the House issued at plenary in Lokoja following the adoption of a motion on Urgent Public Importance moved by Hon. Eneve Yusuf Zakari (APC-Okene II, Hon. Eneve Yusuf Zakari.

The motion had urged the State Government to address the serious ecological challenges visited on communities in Abuga Ozuga ward of Okene LGA by Okuhua Obanyi River.

Zakari disclosed that the Okuhua Obanyi River in Okene Local Government Area has become a source of severe ecological challenges, significant degradation and devastation to the communities on its course.

He added that it was a known fact that the river which originates from Onchiehe causes wide spread damages through the neighbouring communities to Adavi-Eba in Adavi Local Government Area.

The legislator pointed out that the river had already brought down houses and infrastructures such as the fence of Selfudeen LSMB Primary School, Egeze, just as it has eroded more than a quarter of the landmass of the school.

The Legislator expressed fears that if urgent interventions were not carried out before the next raining season, the river would cause more destructions, deaths and loss of properties.

Hon. Zakari therefore prayed the House to call on the state government to urgently deploy resources and expertise to address the ecological challenges posed by Okuhua Obanyi River in the Abuga/Ozuja Ward of Okene Local Government Area .

He also prayed government to provide relief and support for the affected communities and as well, encourage collaboration between the State and Federal Governments and the Ecological Fund Office to mobilize resources to address the challenge.

Hon. Zakariaya Otokiti (APC-Okehi) seconded the motion while the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon. Comfort Ojoma Nwuchiola Egwaba in contribution thanked the mover of the motion and called for an amendment to one if the prayers.

She held that other LGAs suffering same fate should be aggregated and subsumed under the prayer to read “All the LGAs that have ecological challenges”, pointing out that an injury to one is an injury to all.

Ruling on the motion, Speaker of the House Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf adopted the amendment to one of the prayers and subjected the motion to voice votes which got a unanimous “Ayes” approval.

Speaker Yusuf thereafter directed Clerk of the House, Alhaji Ahmed Chogudo to convey the House Resolution to the appropriate quarters for implementation. (Ends)