This came following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Sen. Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East).
The motion was titled, ‘Urgent Need to Intervene in the Flooding Issues in Sagamu, Ijebu Area of Ogun East Senatorial District, Ogun State, Edu and Patigi Area of Kwara North Senatorial District of Kwara State and other parts of the country’.
While moving the motion, Sen. Gbenga Daniel who recounted the devastating effects of the flood in recent times, to include the reported deaths in Enugu due to surge, a 10-year old child being swept away by flood in Delta, the death of 14-year old secondary school student in Sagamu, the erosion effects at Trademore Estate in FCT, among others, said there is urgent need to intervene in the flooding issues in Ogun, Kwara and Edo States.
The co-sponsor/seconder of the motion, Sen. Umar Sadiq Suleiman (Kwara North), noted that the approach taken by the successive governments to address the issue of flooding in Nigeria has always been to scratch the surface, stating that a lasting solution has not been provided.
He urged the Senate to take the issue very seriously and engage the executive to ensure money is voted to solve this menace once and for all.
All the Senators who supported the motion expressed their concern over the menace, saying the issue of flooding is nationwide, and called for more funds to be appropriated into the budget to provide a long term measure that will solve flooding menace in our country by creating more dams and dredging the existing ones.
The lawmakers insisted that instead of giving palliatives to the affected people and communities year in and out, finding a lasting solution to it was betteroff.
In his submission, the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Barau Jubrin disclosed that the 9th Senate had deliberated on the same issue and provision for funds to find a permanent solution was provided for in the 2023 budget.
He said the duty of the 10th Senate now is to set up a committee that will go on oversight function to ensure the funds are fully utilised.
After adopting some prayers and making additional ones which includes but not limited to urging the relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to release funds for the dredging of blocked canals and water bodies, and urging the FG to collaborate with the State govt to find a lasting solution and to convert flood into our economic benefits for fishery, irrigation, electricity amongst others, the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, thank the mover of the motion.
He assured that all the payers adopted shall be implemented to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians.
