The member representing the Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Ndudi Elumelu, has called on the federal government to dredge rivers Niger and Benue and their tributaries as long term solution to perennial flooding in the country.
He who stated this today when he visited flood victims in the six IDP camps located within the federal constituency, urged the victims to see their present situation as a temporary setback that would soon become a thing of the past
Elumelu, who is also the Minority Leader of the House, prayed and glorified God with the victims and made a donation of N21 million for their upkeep, saying that arrangements had been concluded for the provision of relief materials.
“I felt that as a servant of the people, I should come and feel the pains inflicted on them by the ravaging flood, which not only displaced them from their ancestral homes but also caused massive damage to their property and means of livelihood. The good news is that whatever they are experiencing now is not permanent and will soon come to pass”, he said.
Elumelu used the opportunity to call on the federal government to come to the aide of the flood victims, just as he also called on NEMA to, as a matter of urgency, attend to the resolution of the House of Representatives to send relief materials to all persons affected, as a short term measure.
“Dredging of the River Niger and all other Rivers that are linked to it, has never been done. I think dredging will solve the problem. Dredging for a long time has never happened, go to Warri Port, it has not been dredged, Onitsha Port has not been dredged, Koko Port and some others have not been dredged.
“These are long term measures that should be adopted to alleviate the sufferings of our people and by the time we enter the next rainy season, our people will not have to face this kind of situation”, Elumelu said.
Speaking with journalists after the visits, Elumelu said his party, the PDP, had always been concerned about the plight of the people, adding that the well-being of the people would remain the focus of the party at all times.
Camps visited were the Ogbe Afor, Oneh and head bridge camps, all in Asaba, Oshimili South Local Government Area; the IDP camps in Illah and Ugbolu in Oshimili North Local Government Area, as well as the Ewulu IDP camp where the flood victims from Aniocha South Local Government Area were being camped.
On the entourage of the Minority Leader were a renowned political leader in the state, Chief Nkem Okwuofu, the members representing Aniocha South, Oshimili South and Oshimili North in the State House of Assembly, the four LGA PDP Chairmen in the Federal Constituency, the PDP House of Assembly candidates for Aniocha South and Oshimili South, among others.
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