Sokoto Governor Approves Over N1.1 Billion for ‘Boats and Life Jackets for Flooded Communities’

The Sokoto State government has approved N1.1 billion to purchase motorised boats and life jackets for flood-prone communities across 22 Local Government Areas. This decision was made following a State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Ahmed Aliyu on Wednesday.

Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ibrahim Dade-Adare, disclosed this after the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Ahmed Aliyu. He noted that the affected LGAs, except Dange-Shuni, would receive the equipment.

“The committee’s report showed that 22 out of 23 LGAs experienced flooding, prompting the government to act,” Mr Dade-Adare said.

He said an extra N149.8 million was approved for completing a terminal block at the Alu Garage in Sokoto. In addition, the government approved N565.2 million for the procurement of 12,376 bags of 25kg rice to be distributed to individuals statewide. This stopgap mirrors similar donations made by the federal government in place of addressing core, underlying issues.

According to the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), floods in just 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Sokoto State affected 56,308 individuals across 10,808 households. This figure includes 14,994 displaced persons and residents impacted but still in their communities. Of the affected houses, 43 per cent need repairs, 31 per cent are partially damaged, and 26 per cent are completely destroyed. Additionally, in 60 per cent of the assessed areas, crop farming was a primary source of income. This implies that critical solutions are needed to address the harsh realities of the floods.

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