Senate directs NEMA to provides relief materials for Kastina, Jigawa rainstorm victims

To provide succour to victims of recent the flood and rainstorm that recently ravaged Modibi, Sabon Gari Wayo, Shinkafi, Kukar Geza and Ambasada in Kastina Local Government Area of Kastina State and Gumel in Jigawa State, respectively, the Senate on Thursday directed the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA to provide relief materials.

The senate solutions followed different motions moved by Senator Umaru Kurfi (APC Kastina Central) and Senator Abdullahi Gumel (APC Jigawa North West) during plenary.

Kurfi who informed that there was a heavy rainfall and flooding in the affected towns on May 17, this year lamented that over 1, 000 people lost their houses and other properties like farmlands to the flood, adding that many animals and 15 persons were reportedly dead due to the natural disaster.

He expressed worries that “the victims are currently living in deplorable conditions having been dislocated and dispersed into neighbouring villages as a greater number of them; especially victims of farmlands destruction are stranded without the means to operate in the impending farming season”.

Kurfi warned that “if expedient measures are not taken, these victims whose means of livelihood have been stripped away may continue to be homeless and hungry with intended threats to their health and survival in the years to come”.

In his own motion, Senator Gumel lamented that several communities in Gumel local government area of Jigawa State suffered calamity caused by the highly destructive rainstorm due to loss of their properties.

He said , “On Sunday, 27th May, 2018, about 56 houses including residences and schools were blown away by the rainstorm at Gumel in Gumel local government area of Jigawa State”.

Senator Gumel expressed worry that thousands of citizens, including children and women have been rendered homeless, with students and children now out of school and are being housed in school premises and public buildings because of the misfortune.

He added that despite the resultant humanitarian crisis caused by this natural disaster, no agency of the federal government, including NEMA has assisted the victims either through provision of relief materials or rebuilding their structures destroyed by the rainstorm.

The senate, therefore called on NEMA to immediately intervene through provision of relief materials to the victims and help rebuild their homes, worship places and schools.

It also urged the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET to and other relevant government agencies to be more proactive in predicting and giving early warning signals of natural disasters.