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From Desmond Mgboh, Kano and Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari after receiving regular updates on the flood situation in the country, which has affected over 500,000 Nigerians in eight months, has pledged succour for the affected persons.
A total of 508,721 people were affected by the flood in Lagos, Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Adamawa, Edo, Delta, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Benue, Ebonyi, Anambra, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Jigawa, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Imo, Abia States and the Federal Capital Territory,
According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari, extended his heartfelt condolences to all the families affected by the recent flooding in different States across the country, assuring that the Federal government will continue to provide the needed emergency assistance to individuals and communities impacted by the disaster.
He also invited other public-spirited individuals and organisations to support hundreds of thousands of people in need of urgent help in the affected communities.
The president reiterated that these tragic events have brought to fore the need for States and local governments to step up their level of preparedness in handling emergencies, which remains a shared responsibility with the Government at the Centre.
President Buhari affirmed that the Federal Government will continue to monitor the situation very closely to work more with states and affected communities to reduce the impact of the disaster, provide resources and improve response and recovery efforts.
The president urged inhabitants of flood-prone areas to always adhere to the early warning advisories as issued by the organisations saddled with climate monitoring and disaster management.
Meanwhile, Kano Sate government has set up a technical committee to expeditiously look into the prevailing incidents of flooding occasioned by the intermittent downpours in the state.
Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, in a statement, stated that government is worried about occurrence of floods which have wreaked havoc on the metropolitan area.
The state government response may not be unconnected to the flood that was recorded in several parts of the metropolis following a sustained rainfall on Monday.
The showers flooded the famous Kanti Kwari market in the state capital, leaving traders in huge loss and pains while triggering off an out pour of concern within the state.
According to the Commissioner , the committee has been saddled with the task of studying the metropolitan roads, drainage and culverts in the state of disrepair, with a view to rehabilitating them and the reconstruction of new others where possible.
Garba pointed out that the committee would also find out structures built on water ways that often times cause blockages and flooding.
The commissioner expressed concern over the calamity and commiserated with the people who have lost their valuables in the deluge.
He called on the public to bear with the government as everything possible would be done to remedy the situation.
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar has donated the sum of N50 million to mitigate the loss suffered by the traders at the market.
