By Gbenga Akingbule
Following the flooding of some communities by continued rainfall across Borno State, Governor Babagana Zulum, on Tuesday, employed temporary and long-term measures to address the situation and make life comfortable for residents.
Gatekeepers News reports that Zulum stated that both measures are aimed to provide succour to affected residents and to come up with lasting solutions that will stop perennial flooding of communities, including prohibiting residents from building on waterways.
The Governor made the disclosure when he visited a vegetable market at Moro Moro, a flooded community around customs in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital.
Zulum who was visibly unhappy with the situation assigned the deputy Governor, Umar Kadafur to lead an assessment team on a tour of all affected Local Government Areas for the purpose of ascertaining the extent of damages, and supporting victims.
According to the Governor ” We are once again visited by this unfortunate flooding which has affected communities not only in Maiduguri but in some Local Government Areas. Insha’Allah, the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Umar Usman Kadafur will be heading an assessment team that will visit all affected communities in all the Local Government Areas that have been affected, with a view to determining the extent of damages, and identify victims for the purpose of intervention by the State Government
The Governor also spoke on problems associated with blocking waterways, citing that more than 1,000 houses have been illegally built on routes that ought to be water channels and as a result, forcing water to pass through communities and cause destruction.
Zulum said the State Government will provide temporary measures for now but after the rainy season, there will be a need for permanent measures that may require resettling shelters currently located on waterways, after coming with a consultative approach.
In July this year, the Governor visited communities affected by flooding in Damboa and offered them support.
Zulum had two weeks ago, also sent out a Committee headed by Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan, APC’s candidate for Borno Central Senatorial election in 2023, and former Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, who had overseen Borno’s Ministry of Environment on different occasions, hence familiar with matters of flooding and controlling it.
Lawan’s Committee was at some communities affected by flooding in Maiduguri, to assess damages.
Governor Zulum has since 2019 established the Borno State Geographic Information System and also enhanced the capacity of the State Urban Planning and Development Board which works with relevant Ministries to among other things, take measures that will address perennial flooding across the State, especially in Maiduguri, which is the most populated with the highest number of residential houses.
The establishments have been putting measures which have so far reduced flooding in some communities with more being targets in their works in progress.
