By Yahaya Umar, Abuja and Samson Alfa, Minna
In the wake of recent flood disasters in Nigeria, the Senate yesterday urged the Federal Government to probe the flood that ravaged communities in Mokwa, Local Government Area, Niger State, as well as similar incidents in other parts of the country.
This, according to the Senate, is with a view to providing long-term solutions, including improved and sustainable flood control infrastructure and early warning systems to forestall future occurrence
The Red chamber’s resolutions followed a motion moved by Senator Peter Jiya ,PDP-Niger, and co-sponsored by no fewer than 20 senators during yesterday’s plenary.
The motion was titled: “Catastrophic Flood Disaster in Mokwa, Niger State and Need for Proactive Action to Forestall Future Occurrence”.
The federal lawmakers as a mark of respect observed a minute silence in honour of those who lost their lives to the flood and urged the federal government to prioritise prompt execution of the relief packages promised during the visit of the vice-president to the flood scene.
Moving the motion, Jiya recalled that on May 29 and May 30, a devastating flood swept through the town of Mokwa in Niger after a heavy rainfall.
“This resulted in unprecedented loss of lives and widespread destruction of private and public properties worth more than N10 billion.
“From the casualties recorded from the disaster, over 700 people lost their lives, including pupils from four Islamic schools but only about 300 bodies were physically accounted for.
“Critical infrastructure were not left out of the disaster, as the rail line uprooted two bridges, collapsed roads”, he said.
Jiya, said that he had, in the early days of the present administration in 2023, written the Ecological Fund Office on the need to carry out urgent works on the inactive river ways in Mokwa and Kutigi towns which were prone to flooding.
“But the fund is yet to make progress in this regard in spite of earlier warnings issued by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NIMET, of imminent heavy rainfall and flooding in vulnerable parts of the country, including Niger state”, he said.
The Senator further stated that in spite of the warnings, the measures put in place by the relevant ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, to forestall the occurrence was not significantly felt.
He said that the Federal Government had responded and intervened through the visit of the Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, among others.
“However, due to the magnitude of the disaster and the massive casualties recorded, the resources provided have been overwhelmed, hence the need to scale up relief intervention measures to alleviate the sufferings and hardships faced by affected victims”, he said.
Contributing, Sen. Victor Umeh ,LP-Anambra, described the flood as “a very monumental tragedy to all of us as a nation.
“Mr President, this was a disaster that was to come based on warnings, as contained in this motion paper and people left what they should do.
“And this flood now came and swept away lives and property in this monumental proportion”.
According to Umeh, the situation calls for preparation by the concerned agencies to begin to put measures in place as the rains may be high in July.
For his part, Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over plenary, expressed sympathy to the government and people of Niger over the disaster.
Meanwhile, Niger State Government has commenced distribution of relief materials to flood victims in Mokwa Local Government Area of the State.
AljazirahNigeria recalls that the Mokwa flood, which occurred on May 28, after a heavy rainfall, killed over 200 persons and destroyed property worth billions of Naira in hard hit Tiffin Maza and Angwan Hausawa communities.
Also, the disaster displaced 3,000 people with scores still missing.
The Governor, Umaru Bago yesterday said that the effort was to provide urgent relief to those affected by the flood.
Bago, represented by his Deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, said the distribution was the first step in the rebuilding and recovery efforts.
“We are more than resolute to pick up our pieces and restore hopes and revive the economic and social lives of our people”, he said.
The Governor disclosed that the state government had also approved N1 million to each of the 458 affected households.
He said, in addition, each of the 458 households would be given 10 bags of rice, five bags of maize, five bags of sorghum and five bags of millet.
He said the state government had also directed the payment of N1 million to each of the next of kin of the 208 corpses recovered and buried.
Bago added that 280 house owners and 31 shop owners affected would receive N500 each.
He disclosed that the state government had also provided relief packages of bags of rice, millet, guinea corn and maize to support the affected communities.
He reiterated that the state government had earlier approved N7 billion for the reconstruction of roads and bridges.
One of the victims, Amina Mohamed, said she lost four loved ones to the flood disaster.
“I lost my co-wife Huwasi and her grandchildren Abubakar, Murija and Umairah.
“We are grateful to the state government for providing support during this difficult time”, she said.
