Flooding: Traditional ruler in Gombe cautions residents against building on waterways
By Hajara Leman
Alhaji Yakubu Kwairanga, Traditional Ruler, Funakaye Local Government Area, Gombe State, has cautioned residents against building structures on waterways to avert recurrence of flooding.
Kwairanga said in an interview with newsmen in Bajoga, the headquarters of Funakaye LGA on Tuesday that residents should also avoid dumping waste indiscriminately.
According to him, people take things for granted by building houses on waterways without considering its implications.
Our correspondent that in 2022, Funakaye LGA was flooded as a result of torrential rainfall which affected over 7,000 villages, with loss of lives, livestock, and destruction of houses.
“Whenever there is a heavy downpour, structures constructed on waterways will block the areas where the water is supposed to flow, thereby, causing flooding,” Kwairanga said.
The traditional ruler said on the issue of indiscriminate waste disposal that the Emirate was collaborating with the council and health workers to enlighten the public on its health implications as well as the dangers attached to it.
”Apart from blocking the waterways, indiscriminate dumping of waste can cause communicable and waterborne diseases,” he stressed.
The Emir further called on farmers in his domain to cultivate their farms as usual irrespective of the possibility of flood disaster like that of 2022.
He counselled them not to be discouraged by the flood disaster of 2022.
“Farming is the only key to food security, and therefore we will do it to ensure food security in our area and improve the livelihood of our smallholder farmers and their families,” he said.
He thanked Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State for his timely response in providing the necessary farming inputs and implements.
