26 Babies Born In Kogi's Flood Camp!

TWENTY-six babies have been born in some of the relief camps for the victims of the recent flooding disaster in Kogi State.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Kogi State Deputy Governor, Michael Abu, confirmed this in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Wednesday.

He said the government was on Wednesday informed about the birth of additional three children to the 23 recorded on Tuesday.

He added that reports from the camps showed that 18 babies were delivered in Idah town, which has about 26,000 displaced persons.

Abu said five babies were born in Bassa Local Government where about 17,500 persons were displaced by the floods.

He stated that the state government received reports through some of the nursing mothers at the camps.

The Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi, said special provisions were being made for the babies and their mothers.

Awoniyi, who is the chairman of the Committee on the Disaster, commended the efforts of the Local Government Liaison Officers in the nine affected LGAs for ensuring a proper management of the camps, and their transparency in the collection and distribution of relief materials.

He also appealed to the people of Idah LGA where all primary and secondary schools have been taken over by flood victims to be patient.

Meanwhile, Governor Idris Wada has commended the Federal Government for its intervention in the disaster, adding that the N17.5b support for the victims was timely.

Wada, who said women and children were mostly affected by the flooding, added that the money would help the state in its rehabilitation process.

He said, “The state government is working simultaneously on both medium and long term measures, while we also strive to cushion the effects of the floods with help coming from donors across the country.

Top on the agenda of the state is how to provide alternative shelter for the displaced persons rather than using schools as settlement camps “so that pupils can return to schools”.

Source: Punch Newspapers