The Kogi State government is building 272 housing units for victims of last year’s flood.

The state commissioner of Lands Housing and Urban Development, Stephen Mayaki, said this when the national good governance tour team inspected the project in Lokoja, the state capital.

Mayaki said those who live in the flood plain of the Niger River will be relocated to the Post Flood Estate which is on higher ground to avert a recurrence of the devastation  caused by flood in 2012.

“105 contractors have been engaged by the Kogi State government to build two hundred and seventy two units of houses in Lokoja for victims of last year’s flooding,” he announced.

Mayaki said that most of the houses will be allocated for free to flood victims, while others will be sold to interested persons at an affordable rate.

The commissioner also gave assurance that the project which commenced April this year, will be completed in three months time adding that the estate will have one bedroom apartments built at N1.8 million each, while the two bedroom apartments are being built at the rate of N2.4 million each.

A total sum of N562 million is being expended on the project out of which N500 million came from the federal government flood relief intervention fund.

Mayaki noted that about 1700 houses have been identified in Lokoja area to be on flood plains, but priority will be given to owners of property in the area as they will be relocated to the Post Flood Estate and their houses demolished.

The good governance team is inspecting various other projects like schools, roads, water, electricity and housing  projects amongst others that are making meaningful impact on the lives of the people.

The team also inspected the new river port in Jamata, a town close to lokoja. The port is a project executed by the federal government to boost commercial activities in the state.