ADHA STRATEGISES ON LAGDO DAM WITH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Worried by the debilitating effects of flood disaster that has ravaged about 9 Local Government Areas in Adamawa State, the State House of Assembly has strategised on how best to end the perennial flooding that has been affecting the identified LGAs.

This is coming when the inhabitants of the LGAs, farmlands and households are being submerged by the flooding, as a result of the recent torrential rainfall, and the release of huge volume of water from Lagdo Dam, by the authorities of the Cameroon republic.

So far, the current official figure by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has it that more than 300, 000, people have been displaced in Fufore, Yola South, Yola North, Girei, Demsa, Numan, Demsa, Lamurde, Song and Shelleng, mostly the LGAs residing along the bank of river Benue.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the management agency, Muhammed Suleiman, who first gave number of affected communities as 40 in a report on Sunday, told newsmen on Monday afternoon that up to 100 communities have been affected in nine Local Government Areas.

While the inhabitants affected by the natural disaster continue to count their losses, a member of Parliament in the state, Hon. Myandassa Bauna (Lamurde), has suggested for a complete dredging of river Benue, so to contain the volume of water being released annually by the neighboring Cameroonian authorities, as the only way to solving the problem.

But while the stakeholders most especially in the affected LGAs are contemplating on how to solve the annual problem, the state House of Assembly presided by its Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aminu Iya Abbas, has resolved and constituted the joint committees to take it up with some members of the National Assembly with a view to proffering a lasting solution on it.

This followed a matter of urgent Public Importance brought before the house by the member representing Yola North Constituency, Hon. Hamidu Sajoh Lekki, at a resumed plenary session yesterday.

The House Committees as announced by the Speaker include; Water Resources, Health, Environment, Agriculture and that of Special Duties, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), interparliamentary Affairs, and the Committees according to the Speaker, are to be headed by Hon. Abubakar Isa (Shelleng).

Rt. Hon. Aminu Iya Abbas, further mandated the joint committees to meet with some members of the National Assembly including Sen. Aishatu Binani( Adamawa Central Senatorial District), Sen. Dauda Binos Yaroe( Adamawa Southern Senatorial District), Rep Hon. Dr. Mustapha Saidu ( Song/Fufore), Rep Jaafaru Suleiman Ribadu ( Yola North, Yola South and Girei), and Hon. Barr. Kwamoti Laori( Demsa, Numan and Lamurde) so as to take it up with the Federal Government.

The House however directed emergency management agencies and the Transition Committee Chairmen of the affected LGAs to as matter of urgency, identify the affected communities and provide them with relief materials to alleviate their suffering.

Earlier, Hon. Lekki told his colleagues that Yola North has been hit very hard by the flooding, and said houses in Limawa, Jambutu, Gwadabawa, 80 Housing Units, some parts of Maskare in Karewa among others, were flooded, and called for quick intervention on the part of relevant authorities.

Several Legislators who commented on the motion, narrated their own share of the problem, and hammered on the need for immediate intervention to rescue the situation, while commending Hon. Hamidu Sajoh Lekki, for bringing up the matter of public concern.