President Bola Tinubu has sanctioned the disbursement of N2 billion for the immediate rebuilding of homes for residents affected by the recent flood disaster in Mokwa, Niger State.
Vice President Kashim Shettima made this known during his visit to the flood victims in Mokwa town, located in Mokwa Local Government Area, on Wednesday.
He gave an assurance that the federal government would respond to the concerns raised by those impacted by the disaster.
“The president specifically instructed me to come to Mokwa to commiserate with the people over the tragedy that befell the town. His heart is with the grieving people of Mokwa.
“All issues raised will be addressed by the federal government in collaboration with the Niger government,” he said.
Kashim further revealed that the president had ordered the ministers of environment and state for agriculture to move to Niger State for prompt intervention on drainage challenges in Mokwa under the ACRSAL project.
He also stated that President Tinubu had approved the delivery of 20 trucks of food items to be shared with the genuine victims in partnership with the village head of Mokwa.
He lauded the efforts of the Deputy Governor and the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for their swift and effective response to the crisis.
In his address, Deputy Governor Mr. Yakubu Garba urged the federal government to act quickly in alleviating the disaster’s effects.
“We are saddened as a state due to the flood disaster; we commend NEMA DG for promptly responding to the disaster.
“We need quick intervention, as the four collapsed bridges have cut down social and economic activities, especially in Rabba, as students cannot come to Mokwa when there’s rainfall; the bridge needs to be fixed,” he said.
He shared that more than 2,000 homes had been destroyed, with many victims currently staying with other residents. He noted that the state has sufficient land available for rebuilding new homes for those affected.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, the Etsu Nupe, urged the federal government to step in and complete several pending road projects in Mokwa and surrounding areas.
“There is an ongoing road project bypassing Mokwa town, but because of compensation, the work has stopped. We appeal to the FG to fast-track the project, as it’s making life unbearable for the people,” he said.
He also asked the federal government to see to the completion of the Mokwa-Brini-Gwari Kaduna road, Lambata-Bida road, Bida-Patigi road, and Agaie-Match Boro roads.
The traditional ruler further emphasized the need for an ecological team to be deployed to resolve environmental issues in the area and thanked President Tinubu for dispatching the Vice President to visit and console the flood victims.
Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu, the Village Head of Mokwa (Ndalile of Mokwa), also expressed gratitude to the federal government for its support following the flood incident.
What you should know
President Tinubu has allocated N2 billion for rebuilding homes in Mokwa after devastating floods affected over 2,000 households.
Food relief, drainage interventions, and road project appeals are also part of the federal response, with the Vice President personally visiting the area to convey the government’s commitment.
