On Wednesday, the House of Representatives rejected a proposal to withdraw N300bn from the federation account to address the humanitarian crisis in Borno State caused by severe flooding in Maiduguri, the state capital.
The flooding, triggered by the collapse of the Alau Dam, claimed over 40 lives and caused extensive damage, including to the Palace of the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar El-Kanemi, the Maiduguri Correctional Centre, and several public institutions.
During the plenary session, Amos Magaji, representing Jaba/Zangon/Kataf Federal Constituency, raised a motion of urgent public importance, lamenting the destruction of houses, markets, and health facilities. He also noted that Maiduguri University Teaching Hospital has become inaccessible to the public due to the flood’s impact.
He said, “The renowned Cancer Centre in the facility, which is lauded as one of the largest in the country, was submerged in the flood, thereby damaging all high-end equipment in the centre, while wards at the lower level of the facilities were also severely flooded, including all medical records, administrative records, files, amongst many other things destroyed.
“That electricity power supply in the facility has devastatingly collapsed, largely due to precautions taken to avoid electrocution, as transformers and other power sources in the facility were also submerged in the flood.”
He argued that if no urgent intervention is made to address the devastation of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, “The people of Borno State are at great risk of succumbing to any disease outbreak resulting from the flooding.”
In his contribution to the motion, Inuwa Garba, the representative of Yamaltu Deba Federal Constituency, Gombe State, suggested an amendment calling on the Federal Government to provide a special grant of N300bn to assist the victims of the flood and alleviate the humanitarian crisis.
“While individuals can continue to come up with their donations, the Federal Government should give the victims of the Maiduguri flood a special grant of about N300bn,” Inuwa said.
When the amendment was put into voice vote by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas who presided over the plenary; lawmakers voted against it and the House thereafter urged the Federal Government to provide support for the victims without as much as it could.
On his part, the lawmaker representing Kanke/Pankshin/Kanam Federal Constituency, Plateau State, Yusuf Gagdi, described the tragedy as worrisome, saying, “People have been displaced and businesses lost. The government and well-meaning individuals have done a lot but no matter the level of contribution, the gap left by this disaster cannot be fully addressed.”
Similarly, a Borno lawmaker, Ahmed Satomi (Jere Federal Constituency) thanked contributors to the efforts to alleviate the pains of the victims, saying, “We thanked those who have intervened. We have received a lot of support but the level of damage done is such that we need to tackle it headlong. We need a serious intervention.”
After adopting the motion, the House called on the Federal Government to address the needs of the Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and to renovate the Shehu of Borno Palace, the Maiduguri Correctional Centre, and other health facilities impacted by the flood. The House also instructed its Committees on Health Institutions, Power, Renewable Energy, Insurance and Actuaries Matters, and Legislative Compliance to ensure full implementation of the resolution.
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