Senate has urged the federal government agencies to make necessary intervention and prevent humanitarian crisis in communities affected by flooding in Adamawa and Ondo States.
Senators Amos Yohanna (PDP Adamawa North) and Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC Ondo Central), in separate motions notified and sought parliamentary interventions to humanitarian crisis in communities affected by flooding in their respective states.
According to Senator Adegbonmire, who came under public importance notice pursuant to Order 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Order, lamented the recent devastating flood that caused widespread destruction in Ondo City, Ondo West Local Government Area in his senatorial district.
He recalled 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.
The lawmaker said the downpour displaced thousands and caused significant damage across multiple communities in the ancient Ondo City in Ondo Central Senatorial District.
The affected communities, he said, include 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 the state.
Senator Adegbonmire was 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, saying “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.”
He lamented that the situation, in addition to the loss of lives, property and means of livelihood has affected negatively the shelter, security, food, medical care, clean water, electricity and economic lives of the people resulting in untold hardship.
The Senate, accordingly requested that the Federal and Ondo State Government conduct an urgent on-the- spot assessment of the area with a view to finding a lasting solution to the menace of flooding, which frequently occurs in the affected areas.
It directed the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA to immediately, mobilize relief materials to the people displaced by the devastating flood in Ondo West Local Government Area while the Federal Ministry of Power should ensure that Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC restores electricity supply to the affected areas.
Senator Yohanna in a motion presented during, noted that there was massive flooding that caused catastrophic destruction in the five local governments of Adamawa North Senatorial District namely; Madagali, Maiha, Michika, Mubi North and Mubi South.
He said: “Hundreds of houses and farmlands were destroyed . The flood also washed away multiple culverts and bridges in Shuwa (Madagali LGA), Jagalambu, Watu, Kudzum (Michika LGA) and the Baladega Bridge along Mubi- Maiha road. More tragically is the fact that some lives were lost.
“That the flooding situations has overwhelmed local capacities, and left thousands of people in dire need of urgent humanitarian assistance in Kirchinga, Shuwa and Gulak (Madagali LGA), Dzuragu (Michika LGA), Mayo Bani (Mubi North LGA), Kinkol(MaihaLGA), including shelter, food, medical care and clean water.”
The senator said this has worsens the already difficult economic and security situations affecting the people and will relapse in the Internally Displaced Person’s tragedy as thousands of displaced people are currently taking refuge in schools.
The Senate consequently directed NEMA to as a matter of urgent priority reach out to the affected communities and provide relief materials to the victims, adding that the Federal Road Maintenance Agency to intervene in the rehabilitation of Shuwa Jigalambu.
