By Andy Asemota
Hundreds of residents have been rendered homeless in no fewer than 10 communities in Ogbadibo and Okpokwu Local Government Areas of Benue State badly hit by devastating windstorms which left scores injured last Thursday.

Senator Abba Moro (Benue South, PDP), who made this known at Tuesday’s plenary session of the Red Chamber, lamented that windstorms also wreaked havoc on several means of livelihood of the yet-to-be estimated number of victims.

In Ogbadibo, the Senate heard, that the disaster brought down “all the blocks of classrooms of the Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) Primary School, Epeilo; the roofs of LGEA Primary School, Obu 1; three church buildings and all the blocks of the classrooms of LGEA P/S, Odoba-Ehaje.”

Also, the windstorms did not spare many residential buildings at Ojigo and in Olaidu, some church buildings, four clinics, a police station, masts, electric poles, and many residential buildings in Abide and Opkale-Otah in Okpokwu Local Government Area, the lawmaker further learned.

Sen. Moro said the sad memory of the agonizing destruction of 150 buildings and other valuables including the roof of 1000 capacity St. Michael The Angel Catholic Church and LGEA P/S in Aifam and Abor Market respectively in Ogbadibo LGA by windstorms on May 12, last year, is still fresh in the minds of the residents of the area.

Worried that almost one year after the Aifam disaster, the ordeal has repeated itself in a worse and more devastating manner and needs to be addressed to provide succor to the affected communities and persons, the Senate accordingly resolved that the relevant government agencies should quickly support the rebuilding of the affected public buildings.

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In addition, the Upper Legislative Chamber called on the National Emergency Management Agency to, as a matter of urgency, mobilize resources to supply relief and rehabilitation materials to the communities to mitigate the sufferings of those affected by the windstorms.

It further urged the relevant agencies to sensitize the people of Benue South Senatorial Zone on measures to be taken to protect themselves and their properties from damage by the perennial disaster.