From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Traditional leaders, community members and humanitarian organisations in Borno have asked the government to develop fresh resilience programmes to tackle the existing impact of the 2024 floods, which caused devastation in the area.
Speaking at the review and closure of a six-month flood response programme for four local governments in the state by some humanitarian organisations in Maiduguri, weekend, the traditional and community leaders, demanded an action plan to address emerging health and other concerns triggered by the September 2024 massive flooding.
Traditional head of Usmanti, one of the devastated communities in Maiduguri, Bulama Kura, canvassed for a programme to improve sanitation, health facilities and drainages based on the needs of affected communities in the four local government areas.
“Government’s intervention should be according to the needs of the communities,” he advised. He also called for frequent evacuation of drainages as well as awareness campaigns on proper hygiene.
The Humanitarian Project Coordinator for the Christian Rural and Urban Development (CRUDAN), one of the aid agencies undertaking the flood response in Borno, Mr Tafuko Tabwassah, told journalists that the weekend review was to assess the impact of the intervention and engage community members on their experiences.
He said the intervention which started shortly after the September 9 to 13 massive floods, was funded by the Dutch Relief Alliance and implemented by the Centre for Advocacy and Accountability Initiative (CATAI).
He said the interventions included multipurpose cash transfer to affected households, distribution of food and non-food items, rehabilitation of toilets, provision of toiletries and other sanitary items to prevent disease outbreaks.
We rehabilitated bore holes and provided sanitary materials.
Borno State Agency for Coordination of Sustainable Development, Partnership and Humanitarian Response Coordinator for Local Governments, Alhaji Gambo Bulama, said means of livelihood was disrupted, some destroyed majorly in four local governments of Maiduguri, including Jere, Mafa and Konduga. He expressed concern that the withdrawal of US aid to countries might compound the existing economic, health and social problems fuelled by insecurity and exacerbated by last year’s flooding.