Okonkwo Samuel
By Kingsley Ubani
The Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Senator Uche Ekwunife has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to address the perennial floods in Awka North Local Government Area and other parts of Anambra Central Senatorial District in Anambra State.
Ekwunife said this through a motion moved at Senate plenary on Wednesday 14th October 2020.
Addressing the Senate, Ekwunife described the disaster caused by floods in the affected areas as a yearly phenomenon which has assumed a dangerous dimension this year. She noted that the major causes have been traced to among others, the abandoned construction work on the Federal highway passing through Awka North and environs by the Federal Ministry of works coupled with the change in pattern of rainfall due to climate change.
Senator Ekwunife notified the Senate that the contract for some unattended sections of roads in Awka North were awarded to Master Holdings Ltd who were to handle the rehabilitation of Umuna Ndiagu-Agba Umuna-Ebenebe-Amansi Awka Road and CGC Nig. Ltd. for rehabilitation of Umumba Ndiuno-Umuna Ndiagu-Umumba Ndiagu-Ebenebe-Amansi Awka road since 2012 but none of the projects are yet to be completed. She called for the revalidation of the contract agreement to ensure that work commences on the roads.
Ekwunife expressed concern that hundreds of families have been rendered homeless as houses are submerged, farmlands and crops have been totally swept away by the ravaging floods with Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) facing an imminent starvation. She called on the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, to urgently provide relief materials to the affected communities.
The Federal Lawmaker noted that if these abandoned road projects are not completed to open up the rain storm channel, the disaster will move from just displacement of citizens and loss of properties to loss of lives in the affected communities in no distant future.
She also appealed to the Federal Government to address the erosion menace ravaging Anambra Central Senatorial District and other parts of Anambra State, noting that these erosion challenges are aggravated by flooding and dilapidated state of federal roads in the State.
Senator Ekwunife equally urged the Government of Anambra State to rehabilitate Awka North roads which she noted are in a very bad state. She further urged them to take steps towards ameliorating the sufferings of those displaced by flood in the State. “All stakeholders must come together to provide succor to victims of the ongoing flood disaster in some parts of the State.”, She said.
