.. Vows To Tackle Climate Change, Environmental Issues Differently
…monarch calls for probe of Maiduguri flooding
..Some residents still trapped – Ndume
President Bola Tinubu has vowed to tackle the challenges of climate change and other environmental issues differently.
Tinubu made this vow on Monday in Maiduguri while commiserating with the government and people of Borno state over the recent flooding that left many dead and properties destroyed.
The President, who was received by the state governor, Babagana Zulum and other political stakeholders in the state, made it straight to the palace of the Shehu of Borno, HRH Abubakar Umar Garba, where he commiserated with the monarch.
On his way to the Shehu’s palace, the President visited the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp where he assured the flood victims of maximum support by the Federal Government.
Speaking at the Shehu’s palace, the President said he had to cut off his scheduled official trip to the United States of America (US) in order to sympathize with the people of Borno over the unfortunate incident.
He said, “I am just here to sympathise with you. I know your palace was overtaken by flood, I have heard the report, My VP gave me details but personally, I know I have to cut off.
“I was going directly to America but to be with you if only for five minutes share the moment. I thank you very much for your leadership for your various prayers, this is one disaster that we must pay attention to, we will help Borno State.”
He continued “We as a government, as Nigerian people, we pledge with you that we will help you in the rehabilitation. It is our problem not just your problem; we must share in each other’s pains.
“The situation that we find ourselves in the environmental problem, climate change and all of these are what we must tackle differently and we must educate our people.”
The Shehu of Borno, in his comments, requested that the President get to the root cause of the flooding.
“My request is one that is find out the root cause of this flooding in address it appropriately so as to avoid future occurrences as 80 per cent has been affected by this disaster.
This great city of Maiduguri was established sometime in 1907. It’s a period of 117 years; nothing like this happened. Although about 30 years back, in 1994, a similar disaster of this kind happened but this kind happened worse.”
The monarch expressed appreciation to the military for their role in rescuing the victims.
The governor, in his comments, thanked the President for cutting short his trip to the US to commiserate with his people.
He recounted that the President had a long-term relationship with the people of the state stressing that he (Tinubu) contributed immensely to the growth of democracy in the state.
Zulum said “Your Excellency, your relationship with the people of Borno State has been in existence long before you became the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Some may not even count the number of times you came to Maiduguri.
“For those of us in the position, we knew your contributions to the growth and development of our dear state. We have known your contributions to the growth and development of democracy in Borno State and indeed to our own party.
We have seen the contributions you made when we had the Sabari Masaka; and the many more incidences that have happened in Borno State. Now that you have become the President, I am not surprised. So, you have been here; be rest assured that the people of Borno State will never disappoint you; you have a dependable ally, and we will never disappoint you.”
He thanked the Ministry of Agriculture and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for their support to the state so far.
Maiduguri flood: Some residents still trapped – Ndume
Meanwhile, the senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has asked the federal government to dredge communities affected by flooding in Borno State to ease out water so that residents who are trapped can be rescued.
In a statement on Monday in Abuja, Ndume said most residents trapped in their communities were yet to be rescued.
Recall that many residents were killed, some trapped and many others displaced while houses and farmlands were submerged by flooding that wrecked havoc in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, last Tuesday, following the collapse of the Alau Dam.
Sequel to this, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the sum of N3 billion as intervention fund to cushion the effect of the disaster.
But days after, Senator Ndume, who donated N50 million to victims of the flood following a resolution by leaders from the Borno South senatorial zone to raise funds for the victims, said: “We really need to help make sure that people do not continue to suffer. Some of them have been in their houses for the last six days.
“What the federal government needs to do is to come and do the survey and get dredging equipment and get to the discharge of the Alau Dam and try to excavate the water way out so that the water can flow and go otherwise the aftermath will be more disastrous.
“Most buildings that were submerged are not strong, and if they continue to stay in water, they will collapse. Most people trapped in their communities are still there because it is only boats that the Nigerian military, other security agencies, and the state government are using to rescue people there.
“I am using this opportunity to move a motion since we are on recess for the federal government to intensify action against the plight of the victims of the insurgency.”
