* Govs, Senators calls for support
By Hauwa Ali, Fatima Saka and Salifu Faridat
Communities across Nigeria are reeling from the catastrophic impact of recent floods, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
As the floodwaters recede, authorities and relief agencies are grappling with the urgent need to provide assistance and implement long-term preventive measures to protect vulnerable communities from future disasters.
In Osun State, the Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, expressed deep sympathy for the affected residents in the Ikire area, where the floods wreaked havoc.
Acknowledging the severity of the damages, Governor Adeleke assured the populace that the government would mobilize all available resources to confront the challenges posed by flooding in the state.
Emergency measures have been activated to rescue people and restore livelihoods impacted by the deluge. The Governor’s office is leaving no stone unturned to support the victims during this difficult period.
Governor Adeleke underlined his administration’s commitment to address the root cause of the floods and expedite the ongoing state flood prevention plan.
Highlighting previous preventive actions taken by the government, he attributed the unfortunate event to heavy rainfall.
The state is intensifying efforts to expand waterways and clear channels to facilitate the free-flow of water, with a determined aim to prevent a recurrence of such magnitude in Ikire or elsewhere in the state.
In Kano State, the villages of Gishiri Wuya and Katakarwa are still haunted by the memory of last year’s devastating floods, with little relief provided and no concrete measures taken to prevent future disasters.
The scale of the 2022 floods was staggering, engulfing 104,000 homes and displacing a staggering 172,000 people across 16 states, including Kano.
The loss of 2,248 farmlands spanning hundreds of hectares has led to widespread food shortages and hunger, leaving residents in dire straits.
Malam Sule Hamza, a 75-year-old resident of Gishiri Wuya village, shared the burden of the tragedy as he worries about providing for his large family after the floods wiped out their farms.
These villages lack basic amenities, leaving the residents to fend for themselves without external support.
Despite repeated warnings from meteorological agencies and calls for preventive measures, there seems to be a lack of proactive action to mitigate the effects of future floods.
Villagers continue to grapple with the annual deluge, living in fear of losing their homes, farmlands, and livelihoods year after year.
In the face of such dire circumstances, the affected communities propose building embankments to hold back floodwaters and urgently repairing the only road that links them to the outside world.
These solutions hold the potential to safeguard their communities from the annual disaster.
They appeal to the government and stakeholders to take swift action and address this recurring catastrophe.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) have provided some relief materials to flood victims, but long-term preventive measures are still lacking.
The agencies underscore the necessity of proactive approaches, while SEMA conducts public sensitization to encourage residents to relocate from flood-prone areas.
Meanwhile, in Yobe State, Governor Mai Mala Buni has issued a stern directive to intensify measures in anticipation of potential floods, as warned by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
He emphasized the need for vibrant and consistent measures to effectively reduce floods and safeguard communities.
The government is fully committed to providing necessary resources and tools to combat the menace while involving vulnerable communities to confront the impending flood collectively.
As communities in Nigeria grapple with the aftermath of devastating floods, urgent calls are being made for proactive measures and collective support.
The Senate has as a matter of urgency written to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and other federal agencies, requesting their intervention to address the issue of flooding in Sagamu and other areas within the Ogun East Senatorial District.
This action was taken following the adoption of a motion presented by Senator Gbenga Daniel on July 5, which highlighted the flooding problems in Sagamu, Ijebu, and other regions of the country.
In the motion titled “Urgent Need to Intervene in the Flooding Issues in Sagamu, Ijebu Areas of Ogun East Senatorial District,” Senator Gbenga Daniel drew attention to the challenges faced by his constituency and beyond due to the floods.
In response, the Senate deliberated on the matter and passed resolutions urging relevant ministries, departments, and agencies to allocate funds from the 2023 Appropriation Act to conduct dredging of blocked canals and water bodies, among other measures.
Additionally, the Senate called on the National Emergency Management Agency to promptly send relief materials to assist the victims affected by the flooding in Sagamu and Ijebu Areas of Ogun East Senatorial District.
To ensure prompt action, the Clerk of the National Assembly was directed to write to the relevant federal agencies to facilitate the implementation of the Senate’s resolutions.
The recurring catastrophe demands swift action from authorities, stakeholders, and communities to protect lives, property, and livelihoods. The time to act is now, and only through united efforts can Nigeria forge a resilient future against the forces of nature.