2024 budget: Senate calls on Tinubu to construct Dasin Hausa Dam to save lives from flooding
By Haruna Salami
As President Bola Tinubu sets to present the 2024 budget proposals to the joint session of the National Assembly soon, the Senate has called on him to construct Dasin Hausa Dam in Adamawa State to curtail loss of Nigerian lives due to flood from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
The annual loss of lives due to flood caused by water released from Lagdo Dam which was of great concern to the senators was once again brought to the fore in a motion on the “Need to prevent loss of lives caused by floods and undredged River Benue in Adamawa State” sponsored by Senator Abbas Iya (Adamawa Central).
The Senate also resolved to facilitate the inclusion of the dredging of River Benue in the 2024 to address the perennial flooding and consequent loss of lives and property.
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Senator Abbas Iya in his motion said the River Benue flows across seven local government areas of Fufore, Yola South, Yola North, Girei, Demsa, Numan and Lamurde which explained why Adamawa State is always affected by consequence of flood disaster largely caused by lack of dredging which in 2022 alone, according to NEMA, displaced over 2.41 million people and over 600 fatalities were recorded with expansive hectares of farm lands across the affected states swept off.
Iya was disturbed that as a result of flood by the River Benue, on Wednesday 1 November, 2023, 32 people were on board trying to cross the river at Garin Alaji near Chikito village where the boat capsized but only 7 bodies were discovered and 5 rescued alive, the remaining are unaccounted for up till now in addition to the earlier reported case where 53 people lost their lives in the same river”.
Regrettably, “the perennial flood by River Benue and attendant consequences of loss of lives, displacement of people, and destruction of farmlands, threatening food security, will continue if urgent action is not taken to address the situation that apparently threatens the realization of primary purpose of government”, Senator Iya said.
Therefore, the red chamber urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to the victims of the deceased and embark on enlightenment on dangers of crossing rivers before or after rainfall” and further urged National Inland Water Ways Authority (NIWA) to investigate the causes of an increased number of Boat Mishap in the state.
