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The Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has pledged that the Senate will ensure quick release of more ecological fund to Kogi State to cushion the effects of the flooding caused by overflow of River Niger.
Senator Saraki and other committee members, Senators Barnabas Gemade, Kunlere and Atai Aidoko expressed deep concern for the affected persons.
Senator Saraki and his committee members on arrival at Obajana
Saraki, who was led to areas affected by flood by the State Governor, Captain Idris Wada noted that the attendant flooding and destruction of property and socio-economic activities were beyond the capacity of the state government.
Also, Bukola Saraki warned that the situation in Kogi had become so bad that it required no bureaucracy in dealing with it. Saraki called for the immediate release of funds by the Federal Government, saying the situation was beyond Kogi State’s capacity.
Governor Wada and Senators Saraki, Kunlere and Gemade at Ganaja Village
At the temporary relief camp in Adankolo, Senator Saraki and his team donated the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira as support for the affected families in the camp.
Governor Wada addressing affected persons at Adankolo Temporary Relief Camp
On his return to Abuja, Senator Saraki was on Channels Television to drive home his stand on the flood issue. He noted that while calls are being made for increased funding for the Ministries and Agencies, “laws must be enacted to strengthen the capacity and funding of rescue agencies” he said.
“This will allow them to be better funded and operate better”, adding that “they cannot perform miracles if they are poorly funded” he stated.
The lawmaker decried the situation where officials of the Nigeria Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) have to wait for oil companies to give them helicopters and boats before they can move to disaster zones.
Senator Saraki also called for issues of the environment to be featured on the front burner of national issues and not relegated to the back until disasters as this strike. “We must re-prioritise our allocation of resources” he added.
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