Senate wants NEMA to provide relief to windstorm victims in Benue
(Nigeria) The Senate, Wednesday, urged the National Emergency Management Agency to, as a matter of urgency, mobilize resources to supply relief and rehabilitation materials to victims of windstorm in several communities in Benue State.
The call on the Agency was made by the upper chamber after a
motion was brought to the floor by Senator representing Benue South in the
National Assembly, Abba Moro.
The lawmaker relied on Order 42 and 52 of the Senate
Standing Rules to present his motion titled: “Urgent Need to Buffer The
Corollaries of Windstorm Disaster on Obu-Branch and Odoba Communities of
Ogbadibo Local Government Area, and Olaidu, Okpare-Otah, Ajide, Ojigo
Communities of Okpokwu Local Government Area in the Benue South senatorial district.”
In his presentation, Moro noted that heavy winds and
tornadoes are among the country’s most dangerous natural disasters.
According to him, on April 8, 2021, over ten thousand
communities in Ogbadibo and Okpokwu Local Government Areas of Benue South
Senatorial District were badly hit by a devastating windstorm which left scores
injured, hundreds homeless, and resulted in the destruction of properties and
means of livelihood worth millions of naira.
He expressed sadness that, “the said windstorm brought down
all the blocks of classrooms of the LGEA primary school, Epeilo,the roofs of
LGEA primary school Obu 1, three church buildings and all the blocks of
classrooms of LGEA primary school Odogba-Ehaje, all in Ogadigbo Local
Government Area, residential buildings at Ojigo, Olaidu, some church buildings,
four clinics, a police station, masts, Electric poles and many residential
buildings in Ajide and Okpale-Otah in Okpokwu Local Government Area.”
“Recall that on May 12, 2021, I drew the attention of the
Senate in a motion, in this Hallowed Chamber, over a devastating rain/windstorm
disaster that swept through Aifam community of Ogbadibo Local Government Area
wherein one hundred and fifty buildings and other valuables were blown off with
the storm, including the roofs of 1000 capacity St. Michael the ArchAngel
Catholic Church, the Achor Market and the LGEA primary School, Aifam.
“Worried that almost one year after the Aifam disaster, the
ordeal has repeated itself in a worse and more devastating manner and needs to
be addressed to provide succeed to the affected communities and persons,” the
lawmaker lamented.
Accordingly, the Senate urged the National Emergency
Management Agency to, as a matter of urgency, mobilize resources to supply
relief and rehabilitation materials to the communities to mitigate the
sufferings of those affected by the windstorm.
The upper chamber also urged relevant agencies to quickly go
in and support the rebuilding of all affected public buildings.
It further urged relevant government agencies to take their presence in Benue South senatorial district to sensitize the people on measures to be taken to protect themselves and their properties from damages occasioned by this perennial calamity that annually befalls them.
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