More than 40,000 families have been directly impacted by flooding this year, according to Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi.
The governor reported that floodwaters severely damaged twenty-three of Jigawa state’s twenty-seven local government areas.
This comes as the House of Representatives committee on ecological finances conducted an oversight tour and inspection of Jigawa state flood victims, citing land degradation, deforestation, and climate change as the main societal issues impacting Nigerian areas susceptible to annual flooding.
The media assistant to the chairman of the ecological funds committee, Dr. Aminu Jaji, Jamilu Magaji, said in a statement released on Wednesday night that the purpose of the committee’s oversight visit was to observe firsthand the situation and determine what steps the Federal Government could take to lessen the suffering caused by the flood disaster.
“The oversight visit was at the instance of Jigawa state Governor Malam Ummaru Namadi in Dutse and other strategic places within the state,” the statement partially states.
“Aminu Jaji, the chairman of the committee, described the tragedy that befalls the people of Jigawa, pointing out that the major social problems affecting some areas exposed to flooding in Nigeria every year are deforestation, climate change, land degradation, and desertification.”
“The Chairman insisted that members of his committee visit all the states affected by flooding and assess the situation for possible remedy, and that their oversight visits to states other than Jigawa be extended.”
He told the Jigawa state governor during the visit that their committee will help the state implement climate change control measures and sustainable land management techniques.
Jigawa state was named by the committee as one of the frontline states impacted by desertification, gully erosion, flooding, and land degradation. Therefore, it is imperative that the committee make every effort to provide a solution to the issues facing the state’s citizens.
Responding to the visiting House committee, the governor in a response thanked the chairman of the committee and members for choosing Jigawa state as the first point of call, especially considering the impacts brought by frequent flood disasters almost on a yearly basis.
“In addition,7000 houses were destroyed or submerged by the heavy rainfall, noting that about (6,500) farmlands were destroyed in the mentioned local government councils”.
The governor further stated that close to 8000 people mostly households were displaced and taking refuge at several undesignated Internally Displaced Camps within the state.
“Providing the internal measures put in place by the Jigawa State Government to guard against frequent occurrence of the flood disaster, Governor Namadi stated that, his administration has championed the planting of 5.5 million trees within the state,” he said.
He appealed to the committee to support the Jigawa people, particularly by providing them with environmental security measures.