Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, has disclosed that no fewer than 25 persons have lost their lives while 17 others sustained injuries as a result of flood in the state.
The who stated this when he received a delegation of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA led by the Director General Air Vice Marshal Muhammad A. Muhammed (rtd) who paid him a courtesy visit at the government house, Bauchi.
Represented by the State Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela, the Governor said that flood also destroyed properties, farmlands and houses worth almost N950 million, excluding infrastructural facilities, adding that over 3,500 houses and over 2,190 farmlands were destroyed by flood in the affected local governments.
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“The issue of flood has been an issue of recurrent decimal, not only in the state, but the whole nation. In Bauchi State in particular, out of the 20-local government, almost 16 local governments have been devastated by flood. “I have on behalf of the Governor, visited 6 local government and have seen the level of flood and this is because of the level of unusual rainfall that have been predicted”
“I appreciate the role NEMA and SEMA is playing in mitigating the devastating effects of flood in the country, but the federal government needs to do more through the ministry of humanitarian affairs and National Management Authority to mitigate the effects of flooding.
“We have distributed substantial part of food that was brought to the state by NEMA, to all the victims in the affected local government, ravaged by flood, but we still need the support of the federal government to continue to do what we are doing.
“We should again, after any prediction of rainfall, be responsive by putting in place all the necessary measures before the rain comes”
The Director General of NEMA, Air Vice Marshal Muhammad A. Muhammed (rtd) said that the agency was in the state for an advocacy visit to explore areas of addressing and responding to the flooding.
Represented by Director Liaison Services, Bashir Idris Garga, the Director General said that Bauchi state is known to be one of the food producers in the country, with the citizens largely engaged in farming activities, pointing out that the annual occurrences of flood have continued to threaten the agricultural potential.
“May I draw the attention of his Excellency to the 2020 seasonal prediction,by the Nigeria Meteorological agency, which categorically shows that we are going to have an above normal rainfall this year under review. The annual flood outlook informed that 102 local government areas in 28 states fall within the highly probable risked states while 275 local governments in 36 states of the federation including the FCT, fall within the probable moderate risk zones”
“Unfortunately, the predicted rain has started to occur in many parts of the country and Bauchi state is not an exception.
He said the agency in collaboration with the state government will activate all plans and measures to address the menace.
Source: (Leadership)
