Niger gov donates N31m to Suleja flood victims

The Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna.

The Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has approved the release of N30 million to Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NISEMA) to enable it provide relief materials for victims of flood in Suleija.
This is even as he charged for strict adherence to the urban development regulations for safety of lives and property to reduce the attendant high rate of casualty from floods.
Governor Bello disclosed when he paid on-the-spot assessment visit to some flooded areas in Lapai, Suleja and Tafa local government areas of the state.
He explained that the recent collateral and financial looses to flooding were mostly products of non-adherence to urban development regulations as evident in indiscriminate building of structures without recourse to the law, especially on flood or stream plains.
Disturbed by the enormity of the disaster caused by flood in the areas, he stated that, “all these losses incurred both in human and properties would have been averted if our people adhere strictly to urban development regulations.
“It is glaring that most of the affected structures were on the natural flood path. We have to desist from this unwholesome practice and obey simple laws that are meant for our good”.
At Gawuraka in Tafa local government area, where a dead body washed away by flood was recovered meters away from the victim’s home, the governor directed clearance of all the debris on the over flooded stream to give way for free flow of water and to forestall future disaster.
The governor also visited Checheniya area of Suleja to console a man (Malam Saad Abdullahi) who lost two wives and six children to last week flood and inspected the washed away ductile pipes conveying water to Suleja town by the flood at the Second Gate, Field base area of the town.
He also at Sabo Orehi village in Lapai Local Government area of the state where a bridge connecting the local government to Kogi state was washed off by flood
He then directed the agency to ensure an alternative route is made available to motorists and villagers.

from peoples daily