The Senate has called on the Federal Government to urgently assist communities devastated by flooding and erosion in Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi and other parts of the country.
The upper legislative chamber instructed the Ecological Fund Office and other relevant federal agencies to promptly address the damage caused by the disasters and extend assistance to affected residents.
The Senate further directed its standing committees on Environment, Works, and Ecological and Climate Change, alongside other relevant committees, to visit the affected locations for an assessment and present their reports within one month.
The resolutions followed separate motions on urgent matters of national importance sponsored by Senators Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central; Anthony Ani, representing Ebonyi South; and Osita Izunazo, representing Imo South.
While presenting his motion during plenary, Senator Umeh raised concerns about the destruction caused by flooding and erosion in communities such as Ogidi, Obosi and Awka in Anambra State.
He explained that the disasters had compelled numerous families to leave their homes for safer locations, where they faced harsh living conditions with limited or no access to essential assistance.
Umeh appealed to the Federal Ministry of Works to evaluate the damage to road infrastructure and repair or rebuild affected federal highways, particularly the Onitsha-Ogidi-Awka road, which he said flooding had made impassable.
In his contribution, Senator Ani disclosed that several communities within his senatorial district had equally experienced devastating floods, leading to fatalities and the destruction of farmlands and livestock.
He called on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to evaluate farmers’ losses and offer emergency grants to help those affected restore their livelihoods.
Other lawmakers, including Diket Plang, representing Plateau Central; Amos Yohana, representing Adamawa North; and Osita Ngwu, representing Enugu West, urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and relevant state agencies to urgently support residents displaced by the floods.
They proposed the provision of essential relief items, including food, temporary accommodation and medical supplies, to reduce the hardship faced by affected residents.
In his ruling on the motions, Senate President Godswill Akpabio praised the lawmakers for raising the concerns and instructed the Senate Resolutions Implementation Committee to oversee the execution of the resolutions.
He stated that proper monitoring would promote timely intervention and allow the Senate to consider additional legislative actions to tackle the flooding crisis.
