By John Danjuma
Governor of Jigawa State, Malam Umar Namadi, has disclosed that the recent flood disaster affected over 40,000 people, with 28 reported deaths.
The governor disclosed this while receiving the Chairman and House of Representatives Committee on Ecological Fund members at the Government House in Dutse.
According to Namadi, the flood has ravaged 14 local government areas, with 8,000 people currently in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps. The disaster has also resulted in the collapse of over 7,500 houses and the destruction of 6,500 farmlands.
The governor expressed concern over the early onset of flooding in the state, which he attributed to the silting of dams and the release of water from dams. He called on the federal government to conduct environmental impact assessments for road constructions and other projects to avoid artificial environmental problems.
Namadi cited the Shuwari-Maiduguri federal highway construction, which he said has caused flooding in previously unaffected areas. He appealed to the committee to assess the damage and provide special assistance to the state.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Ecological Fund, Honourable Aminu Sani Jaji, said the committee was in Jigawa to identify areas that require particular intervention in addressing ecological challenges.
He disclosed that Jigawa was selected among a few states to benefit from the committee’s tour due to its significant ecological challenges.”
