Jalingo Submerged Despite Taraba’s N2bn Ecological Fund

Despite receiving over ₦2.2bn as ecological fund in 2025, Taraba State witnessed fresh flooding on Saturday as parts of Jalingo were submerged, raising concerns over the effectiveness of interventions meant to address environmental risks.

Daily Trust reports that several houses, shops and schools came under water after hours of heavy rainfall that began around 2:30 a.m. and lasted till about 11:30 a.m.

The downpour worsened flooding in low-lying areas such as Mile Six, Mafindi and Mayogwai, while floodwater also affected the Jalingo Main Market.

Residents struggled to salvage their belongings as water levels rose. Flooding also disrupted movement along the Jalingo–Wukari road after a temporary bridge near the collapsed Namnai Bridge gave way, leaving travellers stranded. Some residents attributed the incident to blocked drainage systems and poor waste disposal practices.

Data from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation showed that the country disbursed more than ₦109.5bn from the Ecological Fund between July 2023 and December 2025, yet many communities remain exposed to flood risks as the 2026 rainy season approaches.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, in an earlier warning noted that over 14,000 communities across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) face high flood risk this year, with exposure expected between April and November.

Data from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation’s website on Saturday shows that Taraba State received ₦2,218,778,435.40 as ecological fund between January and December 2025, while Jalingo Local Government Area received ₦84,902,115.22 within the same period.

A monthly breakdown shows that Taraba State received ₦123.5m in January; ₦153.3m in February; ₦164.2m in March; and ₦151.3m in April. The state received ₦163.1 in May and ₦149.m in June, before allocations rose to ₦189.7m in July, ₦219.9m in August and ₦244.5m in September. It also received ₦201.9m in October, ₦225.9m in November and ₦232m in December.

For Jalingo, monthly allocations stood at ₦4.6m in January, ₦7.2m in February and ₦6.2m in March. The council received ₦5.7m in April, ₦6.1m in May and ₦5.6m in June, followed by ₦7.1m in July, ₦8.3m in August and ₦9.2m in September. It got ₦7.6m in October, ₦8.5m in November and ₦8.7m in December.

The Ecological Fund, established in 1981, provides a federal intervention mechanism for tackling environmental challenges such as flooding, erosion and desertification.

However, the recent flooding in Jalingo despite these disbursements strengthens concerns that rising ecological fund allocations have not yet delivered measurable reductions in flood vulnerability across many communities.