Committee Flays 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 criticised the House of Representatives for turning down a proposal for N300 billion federal government’s special grants to the victims of the flood, arguing that the magnitude of destructions run in trillions.

The criticism followed the rejection by the green 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 bemoaned the impact of the flooding incident, noting that houses, markets and many health facilities were affected.

Thus, reacting to the rejection on Friday shortly after the on-the-spot assessment of destructions caused by the flood 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 lower arm of the legislature.

He described the exaggeration of the pledges from donors by critics as far from the reality and instigation of the victims against the government and called on those fabricating such fake stories to visit Maiduguri to see the reality on ground for themselves.

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Professor Umara said the N7 billion so far received out of the over N13 billion pledges and promises from donors cannot address a chunk of 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 to Shehu’s Palace and saw the magnitude of destruction.

“Today, we started with Bulabulin Ngalaran; we came to Lamisula Jabarmari through the State Lowcost 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.

Prof Umara regretted that despite the magnitude of destructions, some people he described as hired bloggers and Internet merchants are making stories that the donations and pledges made so far can tackle the needs of the affected victims, which he said is an afront to the victims and to the people of Borno.