By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
The Senate yesterday passed a resolution urging the Federal Government to devise a Marshall plan to address the perennial flooding in Nigeria, which has claimed lives and valuable properties.
The Red Chamber noted that climate change and other factors had predicted more downpours in the coming months, which might lead to massive flooding in coastal states.
The federal lawmakers lamented the collapse of the Alau Dam in Maiduguri, Borno State, which led to the death of about 37 persons and left over 400,000 others displaced following a massive flood.
They recommended that rather than resorting to ad hoc interventions each time parts of the country are flooded, the Federal Government should put in place a Marshall plan to tackle the natural disaster as it occurred.
The Senate’s resolution followed two motions on floods brought to the floor in Abuja yesterday.
Senator Amos Yohanna (APC, Adamawa-North) moved onee of the motions, “Urgent need to intervene in the humanitarian crisis caused by flooding in Adamawa-North Senatorial Distric.”
The second motion, “Motion on the recent devastation wrought by a 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 assess the communities affected, to find 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 mobilize 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).
Adegbonmire said, “With most profound sadness, the Senate notes 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.
“The downpour 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.
“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, 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 were destroyed, 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 motion, 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 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 significant highways washed away by the floods.
