Yobe: Flood as an annual disaster -By Ali Tijjani Hassan

Whoever is living in Yobe state has witnessed a deluge flood caused by a torrential rainfall at Ngelzarma, town of Fune, local government and some other part of the state, couple of years ago. In the previous year, the state also experienced in both ancient and suburb area of Potiskum town and it neighbouring villages as well. Earlier this year it happens in Gombe-Potiskum highway near Fika town. And today the narrative remains monotone!

Since then, the Yobe state emergency management agency (YOSEMA) led by Dr. Mohammed Goje , are doing well and better to delivered a bit alms of compassion to the affected victims. And the management need to be commended for that their effort. But, we need to understand that, this little sympathy is not enough to be welcomed.

As we all know, it’s a duty of state government to ensure the provision of road, drainage and bridge to the nook and cranny of the state not just in the capital city. But Unfortunately, the government seems unaware of the conditions of infrastructural need in the other part of the state.

In this regard, the government must wakeup from this longtime slumber and comprehend that, the masses are not longer unwitting of their fundamental rights and the responsibilities of government as well.

A report by YOSEMA confirmed that, from 16tt to 21st of August of 2021, about 400 houses lost roof and many more building collapsed, in just a Potiskum local government. Can you imagine the numbers, if we take the whole state data cumulatively?

Yes, we can say that, the YOSEMA play it role dexterously by distributing food items to the victims and even asylums to the worse affected victims, but that couldn’t be enough truly.
How do you think a bag of rice and 3 pieces of roofing pan can suppress the anger and relieve the pain of a collapsed house victim?
We must take a deeply breath to restore our mind and look in to this matter thoroughly, If the reactions are continues staging like that, the government are likely to extend their legs again, staying statically without putting an efforts to get rid of this malady.

How to get rid of this Flood:

First, I suggest that, government should focuse more on provision of road and drainage, bridge in the surbub area as well as ancient city, which may allow the flow of water neatly, as well as, the rehabilitation of the neglected ones.
Then the reservation of damn at some local government to preserve the water for further use, and this may aid the economic growth of the state.

Ali Tijjani Hassan, Potiskum.
Alitijjanihassan@yahoo.com