By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
The Emir of Lafiagu, Alhaji Kawu Haliru whose domain on the bank of River Niger is currently ravaged by flood has called for the relocation of the residents of the flood prone areas.
The monarch also made the same case for other places along the river in the state that are flood prone.
Haliru made the call on Tuesday in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area when a delegation the government led by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Kayode Alabi visited the affected communities and paid a courtesy call on the Emir.
The flood had rendered hundreds of residents of the communities in the area homeless as the water volume of River Niger course increases by day and overflows its banks.
The Emir said his call for relocation became necessary because of the re-occurrences of the disaster in the areas over the years.
According to him, the early prediction of imminent heavy rain in some states in the country including Kwara put the area at risk each year there is heavy rain.
“This has been yearly occurrence in my communities and I want to appeal to government at all levels; Federal, State and local government to please come to our assistance by relocating the peoples in flood prone areas to an high hill places permanently”, he said.
The first class monarch, who was devastated by the conditions of the victims, explained that hundreds of them had lost their belongings including farmlands running into millions of Naira to the flood.
Saliy Umoru, one of the victims at Chewuru at village near Lafiagi, who also doubles as traditional head of the community expressed their readiness to relocate to higher grounds where they would have peace of mind while the ancestral community would be turned to farm land.
Umoru said “we are appealing to the government and all our representatives within the government to come to our rescue by providing another abode for us”.
Responding, Deputy Governor Alabi assured the Emir and the victims of the flood of government support.
He said “we are here to express our sympathy to your royal highness and all the victims of the flood and we are assuring you of government support soonest”.
