Senators on Tuesday called for a Marshall plan by the Federal Government and other stakeholders to contain perennial flooding in Nigeria, which has continued to claim lives and valuable properties.
They observed that climate change and other factors point to the fact that there will be heavier rains in the years ahead, leading to flooding in littoral states.
Tribune Online recalls that last month, flooding caused by the collapse of the Alau Dam in Maiduguri, Borno State, led to the death of about 37 persons and left over 400,000 others displaced.
Senators recommended that rather than resorting to ad hoc interventions each time parts of the country are flooded, the federal government should put in a Marshall plan to tackle the natural disaster as it occurs.
The Senate’s resolution followed two motions on floods brought to the floor in Abuja on Tuesday.
One of the motions, “Urgent Need to Intervene in the Humanitarian Crisis Caused by Flooding in Adamawa-North Senatorial District,” was moved by Sen. Amos Yohanna (APC, Adamawa-North).
The second motion, “Motion on the Recent Devastation Wrought by Flood that Caused Widespread Destruction in Ondo Town in Ondo-West Local Government Area of Ondo State,” was moved by Sen. Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC, Ondo-Central).
As a first step in addressing flooding, the Senate urged the Executive Arm of Government to make “adequate provision in the 2025 appropriation for the dredging of River Niger and River Benue.”
In the case of the flooding in Ondo State, the Senate asked the Ondo State Government to conduct an assessment of the communities affected with a view to finding a lasting solution to the menace of flooding, which frequently occurs in the affected areas.”
It also called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately mobilise relief materials for displaced victims in the Ondo-West Local Government Area and the restoration of electricity supply by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
Sen. Adegbonmire’s motion reads partly, “The Senate is aware with deepest sadness that no fewer than 1,000 homes, 25 schools, 20 worship centres, and over 7,000 people were affected and rendered homeless following the heavy downpour of Friday, 4th October, 2024, which lasted for several hours, displaced thousands, and caused significant damage across multiple communities in the ancient city of Ondo, in Ondo-Central Senatorial District, Ondo State.
“Further aware that the flood affected Itanla, Oka, Odojomu, Oke-Odunwo, Bethlehem, Olorunishola, Fagun Area, Jilalu Area, New Town Gani Street, Yaba Police Station, Ademulegun Road, Akure-Ondo Expressway, and Ife Road communities, among others, all in Ondo, Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State.
“Saddened by the impact of the natural disaster on the lives of the affected communities, especially the most vulnerable, including women, children, and the elderly.
“Some children were declared missing, property worth millions of naira was destroyed, and residents of the affected communities now find themselves homeless by the flood disaster as their houses and vehicles in the affected streets were submerged.”
In his own motion, Sen. Yohanna informed his colleagues that five local governments in his senatorial district—Madagali, Maiha, Michika, Mubi North, and Mubi South—were hit by the floods.
He stated that besides the “hundreds of houses and farmlands” that were destroyed, the floods also “washed away multiple culverts and bridges in Shuwa (Madagali LGA), Jigalambu, Watu, Kudzum (Michika LGA), and the Balade Bridge along the Mubi-Maiha road.”
He appealed for relief materials to be sent to the victims in Kirchinga, Shuwa, and Gulak (Madagali LGA), Dzuragu (Michika LGA), Mayo Bani (Mubi North LGA), and Konkol (Maiha LGA), in addition to fixing the bridges and major highways washed away by the floods.
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE