Benue State Government has launched construction of an aggressive drainage network to channel excess water into the River Benue as part of measures to end decades of flooding within major parts of Makurdi, the state capital.
Residents appreciate the development which includes the construction of the massive four-kilometre Idyer canal while the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula says the perennial flooding threat will now be a thing of the past.
For the first time in decades residents of flood prone areas of Makurdi the State capital like Idye, Wurukum and Low Level can now relax in their homes or places of business even during the rainy season as the perennial flood threat has now been nipped in the bud with the construction of the over four-kilometre Idye canal which can now channel excessive water into the River Benue.
Prior to this time, a resident, Helen Terngu recalls how she was at the centre the flooding disaster in Makurdi year in-year out with her food business always suffering.
The turn around began since the inception of the Governor Hyacinth Alia-led administration which began by constructing the Ishaya Bakut Road which links the Idyer community with B Division.
Still within the Idyer community, the Government constructed five additional roads to effectively channel flood water into the main Idye canal.
The move, Kula says was deliberate to permanently solve ecological problems facing residents of the capital who can now sleep with both eyes closed.
He then goes political, appealing to residents to support the administration beyond 2027 to enable Governor Alia do more.
Before now, land owners along these flood prone areas continued to count their losses but in recent times following this transformation by the Hyacinth Alia administration, the value of property has now increased appreciably.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
