BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – Heavy floods have swept through Muye and nearby communities in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State, submerging homes, destroying fish ponds, and wiping out vast farmlands within the affected areas.
Reports indicated that the disaster struck after torrential downpours forced the River Gurara to overflow its banks, plunging local families and farmers into sudden distress.
The Etsu Muye, Alhaji Salihu Muhammadu, who spoke about the unfortunate while inspecting the progress of work on the construction of a water control wall by the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) at the cost of N700 million, disclosed that several fish ponds and farmlands that serve as means of livelihood for the affected communities have been filled with sand due to the heavy downpour.
According to him, “Even our market has been taken over by the water. The roads connecting communities have also been cut off. We are calling on the government and the contractor to complete the construction of the water control wall before more damage is done to the communities.”
With deepening fears over the fast-approaching August rains, the monarch expressed concern over the slow pace of construction work, warning that the encroaching river is actively threatening the lives and livelihoods of entire communities.
In a swift defense, the Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, represented at the occasion by the Director of Finance and Administration, Haruna Jimoh Gabi, claimed funds have already been released to the contractors, but blamed the critical delays entirely on technical hitches.
Also speaking during the inspection visit, Hon Abdullahi Mahmud, the lawmaker representing Agaie/Lapai Federal Constituency, joined the chorus of frustration, sharply criticizing the construction work’s sluggish progress so far, saying: “The pace of construction is not encouraging. There is a need to complete the construction of this water control embankment on time to save communities from further disaster.”
