BENUE FLOOD: NEMA’s wait for ‘Presidential Directives’ unfortunate- PDP

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the “slow response” of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to the flood disaster in Benue State, while also sympathising with the government and people of the state.

In a statement released on Sunday, the PDP advised the Federal Government to be more proactive and condemned the response of NEMA to the disaster.

The statement reads, “We condemn the slow response of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on the disaster, we wonder why NEMA, an agency created by the Federal Government with the mandate to respond speedily in times of emergency will wait for the so called “Presidential Directives” before performing its duties.

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“In view of the above, we consider NEMA’s action unfortunate and unprofessional. We therefore advise all agencies of government whose duty it is to provide emergency services to do so promptly in order to save lives.

“We call on both the States and Federal Governments to be more proactive by taking adequate steps to put in place mechanisms that will curtail such level of disaster in other flood prone areas across the country.

“Finally, we pray for the souls of all those that lost their lives to rest in perfect peace and console all the affected families to bear this irreparable loss.”

The devastating Benue flood has so far displaced more than 100,000 people, destroyed over 2,000 homes, as well as hectares of farm lands.

President Muhammadu Buhari had, few days after the flood, directed NEMA to immediately mobilise personnel and resources to aid the victims.

NEMA had also earlier announced the deployment of a humanitarian team to Benue State to support victims of the flood with seven 30-ton trucks dispatched as emergency response.

 

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