The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to release funds from the ecological fund to all the states being threatened by flood.
To this end, the House mandated its Committees on Environment, Emergency/ Disaster Management to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Environment and relevant agencies to promptly execute flood-control projects in the affected states.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance moved by Honourable Mojeed Alabi, who said some flood-prone states must initiate precuasionary measures towards preventing flood.
According to him, “The alarming devastation attributable to the perennial incidence of flooding in Nigeria, and its suffocating impact on the nation’s farmland, human habitation and sources of livelihood, with the attendant deleterious impact on accruable revenue are hinderances for developmental purposes.”
He pointed out that the early warning notices released by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the annual flood outlook of Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) suggested that about 11 states of federation were prone to flooding.
The House, however, urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to fast-track the processes of making essential relief materials to the victims of recent flooding in Osun State and other affected states.
Meanwhile, the House has resolved to investigate the operational activities of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) from 2015 till date.
The House Committee on FERMA is expected to carry out the probe and will report back to the House within two weeks.
The resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance moved by Honourable Adamu Kamale and four others, entitled: “the arbitrary and unauthorised creation of positions of acting executive directors in FERMA in outright violation of provisions of FERMA establishment Act, 2012.”
While moving the motion, the lawmaker alleged that, “between 2015 and 2016, billions of naira have been released to FERMA without commensurate work to show for the amount received so far.”
Also on Wednesday, the House called for declaration of security emergency in the Southern part of Kaduna State, over persistent killings in the area.
As part of security measures to curb the insecurity in the area, the House called on the Federal Government to set up a military strike force in the affected area.
The resolution was sequel to a motion on matters of urgent public importance, sponsored by Honourable Shehu Garba and five other legislators, while also noting that since 2011, various communities in Southern Kaduna senatorial district had been consistently attacked by Fulani herdsmen, which had resulted in the deaths, injuries, loss of properties and displacement of people in the affected communities.
He noted that between October 15 and 16 this year, the Godogodo community in Jama’a Local Government and other communities were attacked by Fulani herdsmen resulting in the deaths of so many people.
When the motion was put to vote by the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Yusuf Lasun, majority of the members supported the motion.