MAN Asks FG to Explore PPP, Dredge Rivers Benue, Niger to Mitigate Flooding

•  NAICOM sympathises with flood victims, promises prompt claims settlement

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja 

National President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) yesterday asked the federal government to consider public private partnership (PPP) windows in finding permanent solutions to the perennial flood disaster facing the country.

The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) sympathised with flood victims across the country, assuring policy holders that it would ensure prompt claims settlement

In a statement by its National President, Otunba Francis Meshioye, MAN suggested the approach when he visited Harbour-Bridge Head Industrial Layout, Onitsha, Anambra State to assess the level of damage done on factories in the layout by the flood disaster.

 Harbour Bridge Head Industrial Layout, Onitsha is on the bank of River Niger in Onitsha, Anambra State and plays host to numerous top level manufacturing companies in the South-East.

Infrastructure and equipment of naira have been damaged by the flood while thousands of job are threatened as the companies affected struggle to recuperate from the impact.

He said: “There are many options the federal government has in finding lasting solutions to this challenge which include short term, long term and permanent solutions to this crisis. Most importantly, there is need for an urgent but permanent solution to end this nightmare entirely.

“The federal government must consider private public arrangement in the dredging of the two major rivers in Nigeria and construction of dams that will mitigate the impact when excess water is released from Lagdo Dam in Cameron.

“In the interim, however, we as an association will look at the immediate causes of the flood, look at the impacts on infrastructure and equipment and suggest a solution to state and Federal governments on what must be done to alleviate the sufferings of local manufacturers here who have suffered heavy losses,” Meshioye said.

He condoled with the Anambra State Government on the death of her citizens who died in different parts of the state due to the flood.

He sympathised with members of the association and entire members of the industrial for any damage done to their facility.

The Chairman of MAN in charge of Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States Chapter, Lady Ada Chukwudozie decried the impact of the disaster on their businesses.

She regretted that it was coming when local manufacturers in the South East region are suffering from insecurity and incessant sit at home orders in the region.

Chukwudozie stated that the flood disaster in the region will continue to shrink the business ecosystem for companies on the bank of the River Niger.

She said the Harbour-Bridge Head Industrial Layout, Onitsha “is a major manufacturing cluster in Nigeria with not less than 50 companies and factories that had created jobs in thousands and invested massively in infrastructure, wealth creation, security.

“It is also improving the living standards and in other areas of corporate social responsibilities in their host communities. Unfortunately, the layout and the South East region have suffered economic disruptions, which has reduced production capacity and business activities in the harbour.

“This flood disaster in particular is regrettably avoidable as a flood of the same magnitude had taken place over 10 years ago. The 2012 deluge should provide all stakeholders involved the opportunity and lessons to avert future disasters of this nature.

“We have suffered huge losses from this. There needs to be taken urgent actions to permanently solve the problem of the flood.”

Speaking on behalf of the affected companies, Executive Chairman, Pokobros Group West Africa Limited, Chief Paul Okonkwor knocked the Federal Government for allowing the disaster to become a regular occurrence.

 Okonkwor wondered the rationale behind allocating billion of naira for flood relief interventions every time the flood happened when such resources could be channelled towards finding a lasting solution.

He stated that government’s unresponsiveness “to such situations will continue to lead to huge capital flight from the country as local manufacturers will continue to look for countries with better business climates and discouraging foreign investors.

“I believe that the flood causing this menace in our society has a permanent solution. If Cameroun can control her flood and open their dam every year against us and we cannot manage the situation by building dams, why then are we the giant of Africa.”

In a statement by yesterday, the commission assured all insured policyholders against such occurrences of their prompt claims settlement by their insurance companies.

The commission expressed its commitment toward ensuring that insurance companies settled claims of the victims as soon as possible.

Flood has affected some states of the country destroying lives and property.