From Mohammed Nasir Shuaibu BAUCHI
Bauchi State Government has acting fast inline with the Metrological Management Agency (NiMET) over its prediction on seven prone states to experienced flooding this year, begun desilting and evacuation of two major dams in Kirfi local government area councils in Bauchi State.
Speaking at the commencement of the project at Cheledi District in Kirfi, the Director General of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) Dr Ibrahim Kabir while inspecting the project over the weekend in Bauchi. Noted that the government had in the last two months back received a letter from NiMET indicating Bauchi was among the seven states to experience flooding this year.
He diclosed that based on the memo the Executive Governor Bala Mohammed gave approval to the Agency to embark on constructing and expansion of the two dams with a view to mitigate and reduce the volume of the water coming from the dams which is coursing serious damage to the area.
According to the DG, said in add to that, more culverts and drainages would be build to enable the water pass through whenever is raining instead of entering people rooms and houses.
Dr Ibrahim disclosed that the Agency in collaboration with Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) had organising a workshop with all stakeholders together to discuss on the common goal and impacts of climate change on the environment, which were hitherto considered an alien phenomena but now are at our doorsteps.
Earlier in his speech, the Honourable Commissioner Ministry for Housing and Environment Hon. Danlami Ahmed Kawule said, the issues of climate change is an issue that every serious government must key into based on the glaring effects of the concept in our day to day lives.
Kawule reiterated the present government commitments in supporting of every initiatives targets towards mitigating the effects and it’s concepts, expressing hope that the contractor will complete the work within the stipulated agreement.
Hon Kawule further disclosed that the Bauchi state government has already declared a state of emergency on the issue of cutting down trees to make timber, charcoal or firewood and embarked on rigorous tree planting activities in the state to fight the glaring environmental challenges of desert encroachment, soil erosion and water flooding.
Some members of the communities interview expressed their happiness over the work and thanked the Governor for the kind gesture.
They however lamented on their ordeals saying “Whenever we saw clouds in the sky we only slept with one eye, because we are scared of flooding from the two dams into our rooms and houses.
