From Paul Orude, Bauchi
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has sent an appeal to President Mohammadu Buhari for federal aid for thousands of families displaced by flooding in the state.
Governor Mohammed made the appeal on Saturday when he paid a sympathy visit to victims affected by flood in Cheledi community in Kirfi Local Government Area of the state.
Residents of Cheledi told Daily Sun that the flood in Kirfi, the worst in 70 years, washed away thousands of farmlands, houses and animals worth millions of Naira.
The chairman of Kirfi Local Government Area, Alhaji Garba Musa Bara, briefing the governor during the visit, explained that the flood was a result of a downpour witnessed recently in the area.
A state representative representing Kirfi constituency in the Bauchi State House Assembly, Umar Abdulkadir Dewo, appealed to the state government to provide immediate relief to the flood victims.
The governor, who was shocked by the magnitude of the destruction in Kirfi, said although it is not possible for the victims to recover all that has been lost, he assured that his administration would provide them with enough relief materials to ease their hardship.
Commiserating with the people of Kirfi, Governor Mohammed said that the state ‘has sent relief materials immediately containing two trailers, one of maize and one of rice to the affected communities.’
He said blankets and other relief materials would be also be dispatched immediately to victims.
‘Definitely, we are going to send across your own agony to Mr President Muhammadu Buhari who is a people’s president and I believe he will listen to us,’ the governor told the victims.
‘We know that President Muhammadu Buhari has a listening ear and we believe he is going to assist our people without delay.’
He said the state government would take inventory of property, including animals and other items that were swept away by the flood so that as a government they would provide the necessary assistance to victims
He said that the administration would set up a technical committee to design and come out with an engineering blueprint to end perennial flooding in the state.
‘We would be able to provide, roads, drainage and find the source of the flood,’ the governor stated.
He advised residents to take personal responsibility by avoiding building on the flood drains.