Atiku charges Nigerian govt, NGOs on support for flood victims

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Sunday, urged the Nigerian government to come up with swift measures to address the scourge of flooding in the country.

There were reports of different villages in Bauchi and Jigawa ravaged by floods as a result of heavy downpour.

The former vice president, who reacted to the development in a Facebook post, lamented the effects of floods on farmers.

He said the crisis would worsen the problem of food scarcity and cause misery in the country.

He said: “Climate change is real. The flooding that has followed torrential downpours in towns and villages in Nigeria—like other places around the globe, confirms this.

“The damage that has been occasioned on account of the floods are troubling. Public social facilities like schools and hospitals have been impacted.

“It may be safe to say, however, that no one carries the burden of these floods like our farmers.

“Media reports abound of swathes of farmlands and food crops being washed away.

READ ALSO: Gov Masari claims he spent N30bn to renovate 7,000 schools, N15bn on flooding

“The consequence of these losses by our farmers will be felt by all of us. Any hope of a bumper harvest is now diminished. This will further add to misery in our towns and villages, and our cities as food prices continue to soar.

“I share the pains of the victims of these flooding incidents, including communities where their local healthcare centres, markets and schools have been destroyed. Or even individuals who have been displaced. I also sympathise with those who have lost their loved ones.

“Therefore, I urge governments at all levels to unveil a special humanitarian assistance programme to provide immediate succour to the affected communities.

“These unfortunate incidents should be a wake-up call to the urgency of our responsiveness to the issues of climate change and global warming.

“It is a clarion call that non-governmental organisations must equally harken to and place the focus of their advocacy on sensitising the vulnerable public on how to manage and mitigate disasters of global warming.”

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