Legislative donates N174m to Borno flood victims.

The National Assembly has donated N174 million to victims of the recent flooding in Maiduguri, Borno State. The donation includes N74 million from the Senate and N100 million from the House of Representatives.

On Tuesday, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, led a Senate delegation to Maiduguri on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Jibrin announced that each of the 108 senators would contribute N500,000, totalling N54 million. He personally contributed N10 million. Additionally, the Northern Senators’ Forum donated another N10 million, bringing the total Senate contribution to N74 million.

Jibrin, who was received by Borno State Governor Prof. Babagana Zulum at the Government House in Maiduguri, said, “Whatever touches Borno has touched the entire country. This is why I’m here with some of my colleagues, even though the President of the Senate was here yesterday (Monday) representing the Senate as a whole.

“When the President of the Senate came, he did not disclose what we intended to donate. The situation of the victims profoundly touches us. After our meeting yesterday, we agreed to donate the sum of N54 million. Each senator is donating N500,000, totaling N54 million. Personally, I am donating N10 million. I pray that this flood will not occur again in Borno State and the entire country”

The Senate delegation also visited Senator Baba Kaka Garbai, who represented Borno Central in the eighth Senate, to offer condolences following the passing of his mother last week.

Senators present included Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum; Adetokunbo Abiru, Chairman of the Southern Senators’ Forum; Ikra Aliyu Bilbis (Zamfara Central); Onawo Ogoshi (Nasarawa South); and Sadiq Umar (Kwara North). Other senators included Diket Plang (Plateau Central), Babangida Hussaini (Jigawa North-West), Pam Mwadkon Dachungyang (Plateau North), Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North), and Kaka Shehu Lawan (Borno Central).

A House of Representatives delegation, led by the Chairman of the Northern Regional Caucus, Alhassan Doguwa, also visited Maiduguri. Doguwa announced the House’s intervention on behalf of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. He commended President Bola Tinubu for his prompt response to the plight of the state’s people.

“We also pledge the National Assembly’s readiness to liaise with the Federal Government to create a legislative framework or budgetary intervention to help state governments address the impacts of flood disasters in the country,” Doguwa said.

Meanwhile, the Niger Delta Development Commission is constructing six multipurpose emergency shelters in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers states for Internally Displaced Persons ahead of the anticipated floods in the Niger Delta region.

Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this at a press conference at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday. He stated that the project is part of proactive measures to mitigate the impact of perennial flooding in the region.

Ogbuku explained that the facilities at the emergency shelters will include a school, hospital, cafeteria, police post, and recreation center. The shelters are being built in Otuokpoti and Odi (Bayelsa State), Patani and Ozorro (Delta State), and two locations in Rivers State.

He assured residents that the NDDC would continue efforts to improve community infrastructure, including the installation of solar-powered streetlights to combat criminality and maintain peace. Additionally, the NDDC has streamlined support for farmers and entrepreneurs through the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce.

Ogbuku also announced that the NDDC had acquired 45,000 U-Lesson tablets to distribute to schools across the region to support education. The tablets will soon be launched and deployed to schools.

Similarly, the Federal Government, on Tuesday, distributed relief items to victims of the January 28, 2024, fire outbreak in the Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The government also distributed food items to families affected by the July 12, 2024 school building collapse in Jos, Plateau State.

The Akwa Ibom fire outbreak affected several houses in Akwa Obio Effiat, Esuk Ewang and Ebughu communities in Mbo LGA of the state, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.

Speaking at the event, the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Mrs Zubaida Umar, described the fire incident as “very unfortunate.”

Umar said that the gesture was a way for the Federal Government to provide succour to those affected by the disaster.

The Director General, represented by the Head of Operations, NEMA Akwa Ibom, Mrs Mmandu Aisueni, said the agency was committed to showing solidarity with those in distress

“We are here today because it is our mandate and duty to ensure that no Nigerian is left unsupported in times of crisis or emergency.”

“The road to recovery is never easy, but through collective efforts, we can help restore hope.”

“Today, we are distributing essential food and non-food items as part of the immediate relief efforts to assist those affected by this disaster.

“This intervention is not just about providing material support, it is also about demonstrating solidarity with those in distress,” she said.

The Deputy Governor, Akon Eyakenyi, commended the Federal Government for the intervention, saying that it would cushion the effects of the incident on the people.

Eyakenyi, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Deputy Governor’s Office, Mrs Grace Jim, urged residents of the state to be cautious and vigilant to avoid fire outbreaks.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr Inyang Akpan, thanked the Federal Government for the intervention, describing it as a huge relief.

Another beneficiary, Mrs Ikwo Asukwo, said the gesture had brought relief to members of the community, especially with the current economic hardship in the country.

In Plateau State, Umar, represented by the NEMA North Central Coordinator, Mr Eugene Nyelong, said that the agency was fully involved in the rescue operation in the unfortunate school building collapse incident.

She said, “We are sending our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to those who got injured and families of those who lost loved ones.

“We undertook an assessment based on the search and rescue activities on the fateful day, where evacuations were done to various hospitals.

“An approval was given and, last week, we undertook direct distribution of medical consumables to various hospitals that helped in taking care of those injured.

“We are here today to give succour to parents and guardians of those affected in the building collapse. We have 41 households that will benefit from these basic food items.”

The Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Sunday Abdu, appreciated the Federal Government’s gesture.

Abdu, who was represented by Mr Samson Dimlong, the Director of Finance and Supply, said it was heartwarming and gratifying that the Federal Government, through NEMA, deemed it fit to provide succour to the families of those affected.

He added that “the unfortunate incident, being a natural phenomenon, we have nothing to do to stop it, but with this, the families will appreciate the Federal Government for the gesture.”

The Chairman of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association, Mr Macben Onye, also thanked the government and all stakeholders for the gesture.

Mrs Ifeyinwa Okwubanego, mother of the late Christabel Okwubanego, who died during the building collapse, lamented that “life has never been the same without her loving daughter.”