Mohammed Bago, Governor of Niger State, said on Wednesday that his administration intends to build 100,000 structures to rehouse those who have been displaced by flooding and insecurity.
The governor stated that he was working with the federal government to fulfil the aim.
On Wednesday, he answered reporters’ queries while distributing food goods to the impoverished on behalf of the federal government.
Hundreds of people have abandoned their towns in recent weeks due to instability in the state.
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Residents of Allawa in the Shiroro Local Government Area have recently abandoned their homes after the Nigerian Army reportedly withdrew its camps from the LG following a terrorist ambush that killed about seven troops.
“As a government, we understand the advantage of early warnings and a committee will be inaugurated on Monday for this early warning of expected flood. Niger State is vulnerable to flood because of the geo-location of the state and because of the hydro parts of the state.
“A lot of communities have been displaced. In the short term, we will talk to them and do advocacy, In the long and medium term we are already in collaboration with the Federal Housing Authority and NEMA to find a lasting solution, which will include the reconstruction of housing estates.
“We are ambitious to build 100,000 houses to relocate communities that have been ravaged by insecurity and flood disaster or to rebuild communities that have been destroyed by insecurity.
“The food items have come with a template. Our duty is to ensure the implementation of this distribution and coordinate it.
“Committees have been set up in anticipation of receipt of these food items, as such, we are giving a marching order to them from now to continue the distribution.
“Also, everything that has to do with the logistics has been taken care of by the state government pro bono and impliedly, nobody is supposed to receive a dime for the receipt of these items,” Bago stated.
Zubaida Umar, Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, stated that the supplies given to Niger State were among the 42,000 metric tonnes of diverse grains released from the National Strategic Reserve.
He stated that it fulfilled President Bola Tinubu’s vow to alleviate Nigerians’ economic distress.
“Recall that in fulfilment of his (Tinubu’s) promise to reduce the impact of the current economic downturn being experienced in the country in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, Mr President approved the release of 42,000MT of assorted food commodities including maize, millet, sorghum, and garri,” Umar said.
Umar also addressed the country’s imminent flood calamity, urging impacted states to take precautionary measures.
According to her:
“This year, the highly probable flood risk areas in Niger State are Agwara, Bida, Magama, Muya, Agaie, Shiroro, Bosso, Kontagora, Gurara, Chanchaga, Rafi and Lavun local government areas.
“I wish to request the state government to kindly take proactive and necessary mitigative measures in addressing these issues. “We direct the State Emergency Management Agency, frontline local government authorities and other response agencies to put in place preparedness actions.”
cc: Punch Ng
