NSEMA Identifies Resettlement Centres for Flood Victims in Niger

Laleye Dipo in Minna

As about 17 out of the 25 local governments in Niger State have been affected by flood since this year’s rainy season set in, the state Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has identified 11 areas where flood victims would be resettled.

The Director General of NSEMA, Alhaji Ibrahim Inga, who disclosed this in Minna, expressed fears that as the rains peaked, more councils and communities could be flooded.

Exchanging views with members of the Media Strategy and Communication Committee headed by a former Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) chairman Mohammed Mohammed, Inga said NSEMA had spent almost N763 million on the purchase of resettlement materials which were shared to the flood victims.

According to him, the 11 identified resettlement areas were in 65 communities in the 19 local government areas, adding that immediately the agency was able to secure funds, development would commence.

Inga stated that rapid assessment was also ongoing in councils where casualties were recorded especially Shiroro, Lavun and Lapai, adding that three people died in Gulumin Boka.

Some of the flood affected local governments, he said, were Edati, Gbako, Munya, Agaie, Rafi, Bosso, Chanchaga, Wushushi, Gurara, Mariga, Magama, Lapai Mokwa, Shiroro, Lavun and Borgu.

The director general also disclosed that 80 per cent of rice farmlands at Jima Doko in Lavun Local Government Area had been totally submerged, saying that the farmers whose farmlands were flooded got loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme.

Meanwhile, the agency has commenced the procurement of food items, building materials and cash gifts for distribution to disaster victims in Bosso, Rafi and Chanchaga Local Government Areas.

Nearly N80 million would be distributed in cash to the victims.