As the National Assembly resumed
plenary on Tuesday after two months break, the Senate has called on the Federal
Ministry of Water Resources, to commence the dredging of Rivers Benue and
Niger, to avert the menace of flooding.
It could be recalled that,
several communities and states in Nigeria recently recorded calamities, as a
result of overflow of rivers and waterways resulting in huge loss of lives and
property.
In a motion moved by Senator
Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North) and seconded by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi
(Niger North), the Senate also urged the federal and state governments to
institute strict land use and environmental planning, to ensure proper drainage
systems.
The Senate expressed concern over
National Policy and Policy Implementation deficit on drainage, water management
and urban development planning and implementation.
“The recent extensive flooding
and and its destructive aftermath along the Rivers Niger and Benue and their
inland tributaries which has become very endemic, recurring almost every year
during the rainy season with its disastrous effect recorded so far in several
locations and local government areas in Kebbi, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, Imo and
Benue States”, Senator Abdullahi said.
He said, “a lot of urban flooding
and building collapses also arose from the blocking of water channels and
sitting of dwellings and business premises along dry water channels and flood
prone areas”.
To avoid the outbreak of
communicable diseases like cholera and gastroenteritis, the Senate further
resolved that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) should urgently
mobilise humanitarian and medical assistance to the locations affected by the
flood disasters.
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