By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
A federal government data counts over 1.4 million displaced people, over 603 killed, 2,400 injured, 82, 035 houses damaged and 332,327 hectares of land affected as some of the havoc wreaked by flood in Nigeria in 2022.
It is on this backdrop that finding solution to the perennial problem took centre stage on the floor of the Nigeria Senate on Wednesday.
The red Chambers urged the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to revisit the proposed construction of Dasin Hausa Dam and any other Dam to take in the flood waters from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion on ‘Urgent Need to Intervene in the Flooding Issues in Sagamu, Ijebu areas of Ogun East and Edu, Patigi areas of Kwara North and other parts of the country’ sponsored by Senators Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East) and Umar Sadiq Suleiman (Kwara North) at plenary on Tuesday.
In his lead debate Daniel said that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had forecasted that the level of rainfall in 2023 would surpass that of 2022.
According to him, the 2023 annual flood outlook prepared by Nigeria Hydrological Services showed that 178 Local Government Areas in 32 states and the FCT fell within the highly probable flood-risk areas.
Other lawmakers including Senators Suleiman and Isa Jibrin in their contribution expressed concern that all over Nigeria, downpours had resulted in destruction and deaths as residents in the Island and Mainland of Lagos state were displaced, business owners and residents were also displaced in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state among other places.
Following support of senators to the motion, the senate further urged relevant ministries, departments and agencies to release funds as contained in the 2023 budget for dredging of blocked canals and water bodies among others.
