Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has called on the Federal Government to desilt Goronyo and Bakolori Dams to forestall and checkmate the problem of perennial flooding that occurs in parts of the state. The governor made the call while commiserating with the people of Goronyo and Rabah Local Government Areas of the state over the flood disaster that ravaged their areas.
The villages affected at Goronyo Local Government Area included Balla, Kagara, Boye Kai, Giyawa, Tsohon Garin Dole, among others, while Gandi, Rara, Tsamiya and Yar Tsakuwa villages, were also affected at Rabah Local Government Area of the state. Many houses, farmlands, livestock and other infrastructure were among many things lost to the incident. According to Governor Tambuwal, currently the dams were congested with a lot of sand and debris; thus limiting their carrying capacity and increasing the chances of their being overwhelmed and overflowing with rainwater. He also called for the expansion and improvement of Falaliya Irrigation Scheme in Goronyo Local Government Area so as to improve food production in the state and the country at large.
The governor while commiserating with victims of the flooding explained that his administration was not unaware of their difficulties and hardship. He maintained that state government was going to send experts to the areas to assess the level of damages wrought by the flood in terms of infrastructure, schools, farmlands, all public offices and houses as well as animals.
Tambuwal assured the people that the state government would also immediately send relief materials to the victims. He explained further that the state government was working on the possibility of establishing a dam at Jiccini in Rabah Local Government Area, which will go a long way in preventing future occurrences of flooding. Tambuwal further announced that this year the state government would support dry season farming extensively in a such way that all of those who had lost their crops to the flood would recover, stressing that the state government was working towards this not only because of the incidence of flooding, but in order to reposition the state for agri- business and to also minimise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the economy.
