Legislature
Flood Disaster: Senate Orders Assessment of Affected Communities, Demands Relief for Victims
The Senate has called on the Ecological Fund Office and other relevant agencies of the Federal Government to urgently intervene in addressing the damage caused by recent flooding to the livelihoods of communities in Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi and other states across the federation.
The Senate also mandated its standing committees on Environment, Works, and Ecological and Climate Change, in collaboration with other relevant committees, to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas across the federation and submit their findings to the Senate within one month.
The resolutions followed separate motions on urgent matters of national importance concerning the need for prompt intervention in the devastating flash floods and erosion menace. The motions were sponsored by Senators Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central; Anthony Ani, representing Ebonyi South; and Osita Izunazo, representing Imo South.
Presenting his motion during plenary, Senator Victor Umeh expressed sadness over the devastation caused by flooding and erosion across several communities, including Ogidi, Obosi and Awka, within the Anambra Central Senatorial District.
Senator Umeh explained that the surge in flooding and erosion had forced many families in the affected communities to abandon their homes and flee to safer neighbouring communities. He said the displaced families were currently living in precarious conditions, with little or no basic livelihood support.
He appealed to the Federal Ministry of Works to assess the damage to road infrastructure and rehabilitate and reconstruct the destroyed federal roads, particularly the Onitsha-Ogidi-Awka Federal Road, where flooding had cut off vehicular movement and rendered the road impassable.
Seconding the motion, Senator Anthony Ani, representing Ebonyi South, described the flash flood situation in Anambra as similar to what was happening in many communities within his senatorial district.
He pointed out that the flooding had led to the deaths of several people and affected farmlands and livestock across all the local government areas in the senatorial zone.
Senator Ani called on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to immediately assess the damage to agricultural farmlands and livestock farms and provide emergency grants to affected farmers to help stabilise their livelihoods.
Other senators, including Diket Plang, representing Plateau Central; Amos Yohana, representing Adamawa North; and Osita Ngwu, representing Enugu West, among others, expressed regret over the extensive damage caused to lives and property by the recent flooding.
They appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and its state counterparts to urgently respond to the needs of displaced families and affected communities by providing relief materials, including food items, temporary shelter, medical supplies and other possible assistance to flood victims.
Ruling on the motions, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, thanked his colleagues for the passion and concern they demonstrated during the deliberations.
He directed the Senate Resolutions Implementation Committee to follow up on the resolutions and ensure their prompt implementation to facilitate further legislative action on the flood disaster across the country.