By Paul Effiong, Abuja
House of Representatives has officially inaugurated an Ad-hoc Committee on Flood Management and Response.
It pledged its readiness to investigate, assess and recommend actionable and mitigative solutions to the perennial flooding across states.
In his welcome remarks, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas tasked members of the committee to investigate the remote and immediate cause of flooding across Nigeria.
Represented by the Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, Abbas also identified flooding as a national challenge that has continued to wreck havoc in many states of the country.
He, therefore, charged the panel to investigate the root cause of flooding and recommend actionable solutions to solve the problem or mitigate the impact of the natural disaster in parts of Nigeria.
In his address, the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Midala Balami observed that flooding has become a recurring and devastating national challenge in Nigeria, pledging his committee’s readiness to work painstakingly to address the issue.
The chairman informed that every year, lives are lost, as well as properties and livelihoods.
According to him, “This is no longer a seasonal inconvenience, it is a national emergency that demands urgent, coordinated and strategic action plan.
The lawmaker equally explained that the inauguration of the committee is a reflection of the 10th House of Representatives determination to address flooding crisis head-on.
He , however, promised to work painstakingly with other ministries, departments and agencies of government to investigate the causes of flooding and engage relevant agencies, development partners and other stakeholders to recommend sustainable and actionable measures to mitigate the impact of flooding across Nigeria.
He, however, assured that the committee would listen to the voices of the affected communities, as well as interface with experts and ensure that the final report provides a blueprint for lasting solution to the crisis.
The Borno State born lawmaker solicited the support of all arms of government, civil society, private sector, international partners and the Nigerian people to achieve its mandate.
The inauguration of the committee was attended by the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps NSCDC, Nigeria Fire Service, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency and the Nigeria Meteorological Agency NIMET, among others.
