The dredging of River Niger will be extended to Jebba in Kwara, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Dr Bukola Saraki, has said.
He said this on Monday during a sympathy visit to the Etsu Patigi, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar, over the flood that damaged property in the area.
Saraki said the extension of the project became necessary to check the perennial flooding in Patigi and Edu local government areas of the state.
Saraki, who is the immediate past governor of the state, said the committee would ensure timely completion of the project.
He said the massive flooding witnessed in the country was a national calamity and assured the victims of his continued assistance to them.
Saraki said the committee would monitor the distribution of relief materials donated to flood victims by the Federal Government to guide against diversion.
The Etsu had earlier suggested the extension of the project to Jebba as one of the permanent solutions to the problem of flooding in Patigi.
Ibrahim urged the relevant authorities to expedite action on the establishment of the Hydro Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC).
?”You are familiar with the problem of flooding in this state and you are always concerned with what happened in Patigi.
“We could recall that you played a very vital role in the establishment of HYPPADEC which people in this part of the country believe will be a sort of permanent solution which the government can do to help us to alleviate this flooding problem.
“We have been suffering from it almost annually. So, unless we have a commission, we believe this problem of flooding will continue to re-occur.
“ And the problem is not on relief alone but permanent solution which a commission of that nature would be able to address.
“For us to have this perennial problem solved, extend the dredging to at least Jebba,” the Etsu said.
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