Reps calls NEMA to support flood victims

The House of Representatives has urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief material for flood victims in Degema Local Government Area in Rivers.

This was sequel to the unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Randolph Brown (Rivers-PDP) at the plenary on Wednesday.

Moving the motion earlier, Brown said the flood caused tremendous devastation in Bile Kingdom in the area.

According to him, flooding has become a re-occurring incident in the last five years, from the February to November.

He said that after each flood incident, lives, properties and livestock as well as schools, hospitals, businesses and worship centres are lost.

According to him, survivors are left homeless and they survive on make-shift tents, while school children remain out of school.

The lawmaker noted that since the floods that occurred in the area in 2016, no organised camp facility had been provided for the internally displaced persons.

He said that the victims had not had any reliable means of supporting themselves, a situation that had made them vulnerable and security threat to the society.

After the debate and adoption of the motion, the house urged NEMA to liaise with State Emergency Management Agency in Rivers to provide relief materials to cushion the suffering of the victims.

The green chamber canvassed provision of badges and giant boats to enable the victims move their properties to safer places.

The Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, mandated the Committees on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, and Legislative Compliance to ensure implementation and report back within three weeks.