Endless cries of Kogi flood victims

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* Over N1 billion collected, but each household got between N1,500 to N7,000

* Emergency camps becoming permanent abodes

As the controversy over last year flood donations rages, our correspondent, Momoh Obansa who visited some of the affected local government areas recently, reports that victims who lost properties and belongings were given as low as N1, 500, N7, 000 or N12, 000. The question now is where has all the money gone? Did the Kogi state government short-change its people out of monies donated by philanthropists, charity organisations and the federal government?

It was aptly called floods of fury, but by the fury of nature disappeared, the fury man began. The floods ravaged nine local government areas and unleashed havoc and destructions of unimaginable magnitude on the people and infrastructure. Houses, farm lands, road networks among other human acquisitions were submerged. People were, overnight rendered homeless. At that moment, all they could think of was survival, and how to escape from the angry and menacing waters. And they did survive at a great cost. By the time the floods receded, they had no abode to return to. This in summary encapsulates the story of last year’s floods and their victims in Kogi state.

However, good spirited individuals and organisations did not allow the victims to suffer total deprivations; they quickly rallied round and donated in kind and cash while the federal government added its share. But at the end of the day, the money did not get to the victims. Or it did in form of peanuts, and as low as N7, 000 each to individuals that lost whole houses and farmlands.

While the people are trying to return to their normal day-to-day living, one issue that has become a recalling decimal is the issue of inadequate compensation and the near zero resettlement plan for the victims of the deadly flood by the government.

The people across the affected council areas and their communities have cried foul over the mismanagement of the flood relief materials as well as the monetary donations from the federal government, private individuals and multinational organizations. At the last count the state government, through the state deputy governor had said that over N1billion naira was realized from the various donations. The situation is the same in almost all the council areas visited, as they alleged that they neither saw relief materials or monetary succour.

In Bassa local government area, the chief of Shintaku, Alhaji Haruna Umar, Ahome V who is well over 80 years of age, told our correspondent that he has never witnessed flood of that magnitude in his entire life. He noted that their farms were washed away, houses destroyed to their very foundation, even as he said worship houses were not spared. He the only access road between Shintaku and the LG capital was submerged thereby cutting them off from other communities within the area. As at the time of Blueprint’s visit to the area the road is still a death trap and has still not been rehabilitaed by the Kogi state government.

Lost houses and farmlands got N7, 000

In his own account, Haruna Abdullahi, said that he received only N7,000 as assistance from the government, even though he lost his house and farmlands, while their travails lasted, no government officials ever showed up to commiserate with them.

Perhaps the most pathetic is the narration of a widow, one Mrs Rebecca Jumai Alafin, who lost farm- lands, house, fish ponds and other valuables and was only paid N9,000.

“I was one of those paid N9, 000, I don’t know what the money was meant for. They said it was an assistance. But as you can see for yourself, I have lost everything. And as a widow where do I start from now”? She asked rhetorically.

At Ecewu community in Bassa LGA also, it was also tales of woes. The community head, Chief David Ailewo, said the people are still suffering without help from anywhere. According to him the people of his community received only N2, 000 as compensation from the government. On a very sad note he said “since they said it was a gift we cannot reject it, but people are not happy with this type of gift. No house, no farmland and the people are given only N2,000″

Shaibu Ayuba Tanko, while noting that relief materials were often diverted by some of the officials of the government, said that government did not handle the situation properly. Another member of the community, Mrs. Comfort Dege in her own case never received any money or materials from the government.

“I don’t know anything about money. My farms are gone, no source of good water. We are in danger” she stressed.

Flood officials of Bassa local government equally confirmed the disbursement of N9,000, N7,000 and N3,000 to three categories of displaced persons in the area.

How we shared N20, 000,000 given to Bassa LG

The officers said Bassa local government received N20 million as relief fund from the state government on behalf of the victims.

In rationing the fund, according to the committee, affected house owners with mud houses got N9,000, those with thatched houses received N7,000 while affected farmers received N3,000.

The chairman of the flood committee in the council and Commissioner for Rural Development, Barr. Umar Muhammed said the modalities used in the quantification and disbursement of the N20 million relief fund was according to the extent of damage done to buildings, type of buildings and farmlands.

According to him, about 3,000 farmers whose farmlands were flooded shared N6 million, 1,500 landlords with mud buildings share N10.5 million while fishing communities with thatched houses shared N3.5 million.

He however appealed to the state government and chairman of the flood committee and the state’s deputy governor, Yomi Awoniyi to release more fund to Bassa Local Government in view of the extent of damage recorded in the area. The above account shows that what the people received was grossly inadequate, as attested to by the commissioner who supervised the sharing.

In Ogba, a chief without a home

The people of Ogba community, in Bassa, whose traditional ruler, Alhaji Yahaya Muhammed, is now taking refuge in a neighbouring village, had all their houses and farmlands washed away by the floods. When Blueprint visited the community, it was deserted with only a few people who had nowhere to go. A member of the community and the son of the village head of Ogba, Hon. Isah Tanko Yahaya, while recounting his experience, said “my father who is the village head of Ogba community is now living in another village. This is worrisome”

According to him, only N9, 000 was given to them, which he said cannot do anything in terms of rebuilding their house.

Government not fair to us in Itobe

At Itobe in Ofu LGA of the state the residents said the treatment by the government was most inhuman. Mall. Shaibu Ali, a fisherman, who said that he lost everything he has worked for all his life, regretted government’s disposition towards the victims, which according to him was most unfortunate.

“I am suffering. Government has not been fair to the victims. They must come to our aid for posterity” he noted

In her own account, Ramatu Wahab told Blueprint amidst tears that she has been homeless since the last year flood in the area. She regretted that despite several assurances from government, nothing has been done to alleviate their sufferings. Ramatu who noted with sorrow that she is now squatting with a family friend said that all that her late parents left for her was gone.

Flood victims’ camps still abound despite government’s claim to the contrary

Another important discovery by Blueprint was the fact that there are still camps, despite government’s claim that it has closed the camps. The camp in Itobe for example was occupied by people who have nowhere to go. The situation in this camp is pathetic. They said government has completely abandoned them.

Luke Ogowo and Jerimiah Chukuemeka, who said only N12,000 was given to each family in their community said government has left them to their fate at the camp.

The mother of Endurance, one of the babies given birth to at the Itobe camp recently, cried amidst tears: “Help me ask Wada and his people? How long am I going to endure this suffering”.

From floods story to divorce cases

Secondly, about 5000 housewives in Bassa LG are threatening to divorce their husbands if they could not provide succour and shelters for them. This is a very dangerous scenario.

The women issued the threat in Muzum and waterside when our correspondentt visited the area.They called on governments at all levels to assist the people of the area with food stuff and other materials since the one they had before was destroyed by the September floods that ravaged the area.

Spokesperson of the women, who simply identified herself as Hajiya Laraba, said the people of the area particularly for the women, is suffering. She demanded for government’s attention and support to survive the negative effects of the floods.

She said the people especially women lost properties worth over N50M to the floods and could not take care of their families again.

“We are ready to vacate this land now if support and succour come from government and other people. We will go and marry somewhere else”

Government has no respect for the victims and schools remain closed

The Ohegba of Mozum Kingdom, Alhai Bukar Abdul Khalid expressed sadness over the plight of the floods victims and frowned at the total disrespect exhibited by government officials towards the victims.

“They did not give out the money they promised the victims and the cash they announced to the victims were not paid to them. They promised seven thousands naira, only to pay them three thousand naira each” he noted Alhaji Bukar called on governments at all levels to assist the people of the area as their schools have remained closed and children run about the villages.

Ibaji, Idah and Igalamela too

The situation is the same in Ibaji, Idah Igalamela/ Odolu and Ajaokuta.

Blueprint investigations revealed that no fewer than 25 persons have died due to post flood related diseases in Ibaji, Idah and Igalamela Odolu local governments of the state.

Residents of Odogwu-Ibaji, Itoduma, Ajum and Egabada communities in the local governments disclosed this recently while receiving the programme officer of the National Orientation Agency, NOA and journalists during the post flood assessment to the riverine communities in these areas.

Children and adults died of malaria, diarrhoea, typhoid and measles

Speaking on behalf of the Odogwu -Ibaji community, Simon Elemuda said 18 people died in the village as a result of post flood related diseases, adding that out of the 18 people, 10 children died of measles and diarrhoea while eight who are adults died of malaria and typhoid.

According to Simon, only N150, 000 was given to the community adding that each household got N1,500 and that women were left out of the sharing because it was grossly inadequate.

And the chief died too

The spokesperson of Itoduma community, Gabriel Abara said over seven persons including their chief, Chief Udolor Echekwe died of post flood related diseases, saying that the chief died of hypertension as a result of the shock he experienced during the flood.

He said N356, 500 was given to the community by the government as relief fund and that each household got a paltry sum ofN1,700.

According to him, they are predominantly farmers and fishermen, lamenting that they did not even have money to buy seedlings and other farm inputs as well as fishing nets as they were all chased away from their farms by the flood.

The Gago of Ajum village in Idah Local government, Sunday Usman said that some of the flood victims in the community were given N11, 000 while others were not given any money at all.

Also the chief of Egabada in Igalamela said the people are suffering as the flood destroyed their houses and farm produce, saying that the money give to the community was grossly inadequate.

The communities said that they are suffering as their farm lands and produce were washed away while their houses were destroyed, lamenting that the government has abandoned them.

The district head of Uje Community, stephen Omanda who spoke on behalf of the Ibaji traditional council called on the state and the federal government as well as individuals and international agencies to come to their aid.

Averting another flood. How prepared are we?

The National Emergency Management agency (NEMA) recently trained over 55 NYSC Corp members on disaster management.

The NEMA Zonal coordinator, Abuja operating office, Ishaya Chonoko during the training in Lokoja, said the aim of the NEMA/NYSC emergency management vanguard project was to use corps members for proactive disaster management nationwide in view of NIMET’s prediction of another flood this year.

He said the training was aimed at exposing the corps members to the basic tools available in carrying out advocacy, to enable them to help themselves and also render help to others when disaster occurrs.

Chonoko said the training was to build the capacity of NEMA’s NYSC community development group so as to be able to manage disasters effectively through adequate sensitization and advocacy.

He said the rural communities are mostly affected when disaster occurs as they do not have the capacity to cope with disaster, saying that NYSC has resourceful staff and indigenous corps members to take disaster management to the nooks and crannies of the country.

He said NEMA enjoys a cordial relationship with state emergency management agencies, calling on them to give adequate attention to disaster management by being proactive and not necessarily have to wait for disasters to happen. But the same thing cannot be said of the state government.

Speaking during one of the workshops organized by NEMA, the Executive Director of Center for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, (CHRCR), Idris Miliki, noted that the Kogi state government has no contingency plan to handle future disasters in the state.

He said that the government has not empowered the State Emergency Management Agency to cope with future challenges.

He advised the state government, as a matter of urgency, procure more vehicles for the agency, provide life jackets, speed boats as well as construct emergency exit roads around Lokoja and the Abuja end of the state.