President Goodluck Jonathan has
assured that his administration would take steps to avert flooding in
the country in the coming 30 to 50 years by ensuring the completion of
the Kashin-bila dam in Taraba State; the construction of a dam on River
Benue and dykes across the country.
The President gave this assurance in Makurdi, the Benue State
capital, when he visited the state to assess the damage caused by flood
in parts of state and also to commiserate with the victims.
While
lamenting the condition of the victims, the President also decried
economic losses suffered by the victims, assuring that the Federal
Government would do everything to mitigate the effect of the flood on
their lives.
He noted that the Federal Government had already
released N500 million to the state government stressing that this would
be disbursed to the victims to assist them to pick up their lives again.
Jonathan
also promised the release of funds to the Federal Ministry of
Agriculture to purchase improved seedlings that would be distributed to
farmers across the country, adding that money will also be given to the
Ministry of Health to ensure control of water borne diseases like
cholera and diarrhoea in parts of the country in the aftermath of the
flooding.
He said: “Government is committed to turning your
calamity into a blessing. Those of you who lost farmlands would be given
high yielding seedlings to make you improve your farm produce. We will
help you start new economic lives and pray that you do not suffer from
such calamity again.”
He expressed appreciation to developmental
partners, non-governmental organisations, faith-based organisations,
security agencies and other well-meaning Nigerians for their support to
the flood victims across the nation.
Flood affected five LGAs
Earlier
in his speech, Governor Gabriel Suswam disclosed that flood affected
five local governments of Makurdi, Guma, Gwer West, Logo and Agatu,
noting that over 4,378 males, 6,378 female, 9,300 children, 348 infants,
341 pregnant women and eight physically challenged persons were
displaced by the flood while 18 births had been recorded in the
designated camps.
The governor who commended the President for
the release of N500 million, assured that the money and several relief
materials received from different organizsations and individuals would
be applied strictly to displaced persons.
He expressed fears of
imminent food crisis in the affected states across the country and
appealed to the Federal Government to intervene quickly to avert famine
in the country.
Suswam urged the Federal Government to construct
an 18 kilometre dam on River Benue and dykes across the Benue to check
future flooding.