The Federal Government on Saturday assessed the Makurdi-Gboko-Katsina-Ala highway following the overflow of River Dura on the road.

Speaking during the assessment, Mr Robert Umezulike, Deputy Director, Hydrology, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, said the flood was caused by an overflow of the River Dura in Buruku LG.

Report says that aside from the flood that took over the road, the federal highway connecting Benue and Taraba has been completely cut off at Abekwa settlement closed to River Dura.

Report says that commutters were made to sleep by the roadside for days before they could pass a distance of less than a kilometre.

Umezulike said the flood was caused by the continuous deposits of sediments into the river, thereby reducing the depth of the river to hold much water.

He said the ministry has already begun work to construct a multi-purpose dam upstream of the River Dura in Buruku to contain the heavy water that comes from that axis.

He said the team would assess the flood situation and report to the minister for immediate action.

“From what we have seen here, there is a need for a water reservoir upstream of the river, and in that direction, the ministry has already awarded a contract for the study and design of a multi-purpose dam upstream of the river,” he stated.

Chief Mathias Ager, District Head of Mbaakura Ward, said the flood has also submerged their houses, farms, and property.

Ager said the level of water that overflow on the highway in the area anytime there was rain showed that there was every need for the government to build a dam to contain the water.

He also appealed to the FG to rehabilitate the Makurdi-Gboko-Katsina-Ala road, which is currently cut off at Abekwa settlement, closed to the River Dura bridge.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for appointing Benue sons into key positions, especially the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, and urged them to continue to support the president to succeed.

The traditional ruler said he believed in the capacity of the Tiv sons in the Tinubu administration to deliver, adding that they would not disappoint the country, the president, and the Tiv nation.

A Benue youth, Levinus Tyodoo, who spoke at the spot of the damaged road, urged the FG to rebuild the road for easy movement of motorists and farm produce.

Tyodoo said the road that connects Taraba and Benue with the southern part of the country was extremely strategic and needed to be fixed urgently.

He commended the President for finding Tiv sons worthy to occupy sensitive positions in his administration and praised them for their excellent performances so far in their offices.

A bus driver, Terkimbi Atse, said he has spent two days on the road because of the flood. (NAN)

  The Presidential Candidate of Labour Party in 2023, Mr Peter Obi, says he donated over N200 million within a  week for education in a bid to provide future for the younger generation.

Obi made  this known  during the 70th Anniversary of Queens School Enugu organised by Queens School Old Girls Association (QSEOGA), on Saturday.

“On Monday, I was in Onitsha where they started a new university.

“On Tuesday, I was at Anyigba in Kogi State to attend to students’ needs and on Thursdays, I was in Almajiri School in Kaduna to attend to their needs also.

“I have donated over N200 million within the week on education,” he said.

While emphasising the importance of investing in education, Obi said that no country would succeed without education.

He said that he was investing in the future of the young ones to discourage them from crime.

Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, said that the future of any country would depend on its investment in health and education.

He decried the state of Queen School Enugu which, he said, had produced  many great people but had lost its glory due to negligence.

“Those of you who studied in this school will be wondering how we got here.

“A school that has been celebrated  has turned to nothing to be celebrated about.

“I am urging to you pull your resources together toward rebuilding this school.

“My appeal to old girls of this school and others in Nigerians is: Let’s go back and fix our schools than build new ones.”

He pledged to partner with the  association to give a facelift  to the school.

Earlier in her remarks, the National President of the association, Mrs Ifeanyi Egbunike, said that many things had gone wrong with the school.

She said that the school lacked new structures.

“I graduated from this school in 1974, and we are celebrating Queen School because it has come a long way. I am celebrating 50 year of being part of the school.

“The school has groomed and added value to many. We chose Obi because he was a man with  vision, he is result-oriented and a  lover of education,” Egbunike said.

The Chairperson of Enugu Chapter of the association, Mrs Maureen Atuonwu, said that Queen School Enugu was established in Oct. 4, 1954.

She said that alumni of the school came from all over the world to celebrate it at 70 years, adding that the association  was working toward uplifting it.

“We have come together to discuss  ways of rebuilding this school, as government alone cannot do it.

“We are partnering with Enugu State Government to see how we can take this school to greater heights.

“This school has produced a lot of professionals, who excelled in their various fields of endeavour, including Prof. Ngozi Okwonjo-Iweala,” Atuonwu said. (NAN)

President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja after a two-week working vacation in the United Kingdom (UK).

Tinubu arrived at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 7. 20 p.m. on Saturday, and was received by senior members of the administration.

It will be recalled that the President departed Abuja for the two-week working vacation on October 2, as part of his annual leave.

On October 11, Tinubu left the UK for Paris, France, for an important engagement, according to Ibrahim Masari, his Senior Special Assistant on Political and Other Matters.

The President was received on arrival by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Others are ministers including, Mr Wale Edun (Finance), Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Budget and Economic Planning), Nuhu Ribadu (National Security Adviser), and Abdullahi Ganduje (National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress. (NAN