Nigeria: Committee Faults Reps’ Rejection of N300bn Support for Borno Flood Victims

The committee inaugurated by the Borno State government to disburse relief packages to the victims of the Maiduguri flood disaster has lamented the rejection of a proposal for N300 billion Federal Government’s special intervention grant for flood victims by the House of Representatives, arguing that the magnitude of destructions caused by the flood run into trillions of naira.

The condemnation followed the refusal by the green legislative chamber of an amendment to a motion of ‘urgent public importance’ moved by the member representing Jaba/Zangon/Kataf Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, Hon. Amos Magaji, at plenary on Wednesday.

Moving the motion, Magaji lamented the impact of the flooding incident, noting that houses, markets and many health facilities were affected.

Reacting to the rejection on Friday shortly after the on-the-spot assessment in the affected communities in Maiduguri and Jere environs, the co-chairman of the committee, Prof Ibrahim Umara, said from what the committee assessed, the magnitude of destruction which pulled down majority of buildings in the affected communities run in trillions of naira against the N300 billion support turned down by the House of Representatives.

He described the exaggeration of the pledges from donors by those he described as ‘political jingoists ‘ through bloggers and internet merchants as far from the reality and instigation of the victims against the government.

He then called on those he accused of fabricating fake stories to visit Maiduguri to personally see the situation on the ground.

Professor Umara said the N7 billion so far received out of the over N13 billion pledges and promises from donors cannot address the needs of the victims who are in hundreds of thousands.

“Yesterday, we started with Galtimari and Kauri. We proceeded to Shehuri South and North and from there, we proceeded to Gamboru and returned back to Shehu’s Palace and saw the magnitude of destruction.

“Today, we started with Bulabulin Ngalaran, we came to Lamisula Jabarmari through the State Low Cost and from there we proceeded to Goni Kachalari, then to Umarari and to Zannari and Kaleri, and concluded in Bulabulin. The people whose buildings were pulled down as a result of this flooding are in hundreds of thousands,” he said.

Umara regretted that despite this magnitude of destructions, some people are making stories that the donations and pledges made so far can tackle the needs of the affected victims, describing it as an affront on the victims and to the people of Borno State.

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“The bloggers are exaggerating the expectations at the hurt of the victims by instigating the people against their government which is very unfortunate. They should be priotising enough and calm down people by telling them the reality that whatever intervention from the government is only assistance.

He described as unfortunate the call by a blogger on prospective donors to stop donating to Borno government, stating that instead, such bloggers should come to the people.

“It is very unfortunate, they should come and verify the reality before they embark on what I described as a campaign of calumny. The House of Representatives turned down the N300 billion support for the flood victims whereas the needs of the victims run into trillions of naira, not even billions considering the magnitude of destructions.

“What I want them to understand is that development partners’ pledge is not in cash. Some are in materials. So, that is what we want them to understand. Their role is good. We need media to put the government on track by engaging in constructive criticism, not blackmail.

“What they are doing is blackmail so that they can get followers, and they are not going to get anything,” the co-chairman of the Maiduguri flood committee said.

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