Niger to Construct 100,000 Homes for Flood-Affected Families

The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, on Wednesday, disclosed plans by his administration to construct 100,000 houses for the resettling of persons living in communities ravaged by floods and insecurity.

The governor said he was collaborating with the Federal Government to achieve the plan.

He spoke while fielding questions from newsmen on Wednesday during the distribution of the Federal Government’s food commodities to the poor.

Hundreds of persons have fled their communities in the last few weeks over insecurity in the State.

Recently, residents of Allawa in the Shiroro Local Government Area fled their villages after the Nigerian Army reportedly relocated its camps from the LG following an ambush by terrorists, leading to the death of about seven soldiers.

Bago said, “As a government, we understand the advantage of early warnings and a committee will be inaugurated on Monday for this early warning of expected flood. Niger State is vulnerable to flood because of the geo-location of the state and because of the hydro parts of the state.

“A lot of communities have been displaced. In the short term, we will talk to them and do advocacy, In the long and medium term we are already in collaboration with the Federal Housing Authority and NEMA to find a lasting solution, which will include the reconstruction of housing estates.

“We are ambitious to build 100,000 houses to relocate communities that have been ravaged by insecurity and flood disaster or to rebuild communities that have been destroyed by insecurity.”

On the distribution of grains to vulnerable persons in the state, the governor said, “The food items have come with a template. Our duty is to ensure the implementation of this distribution and coordinate it.

“Committees have been set up in anticipation of receipt of these food items, as such, we are giving a marching order to them from now to continue the distribution.

“Also, everything that has to do with the logistics has been taken care of by the state government pro bono and impliedly, nobody is supposed to receive a dime for the receipt of these items.”

The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Zubaida Umar, said the foodstuffs supplied to Niger State were part of the 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains released from the National Strategic Reserve.

He noted that it was in fulfilment of the promise made by President Bola Tinubu to cushion the economic hardship of Nigerians.

Umar said, “Recall that in fulfilment of his (Tinubu’s) promise to reduce the impact of the current economic downturn being experienced in the country in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, Mr President approved the release of 42,000MT of assorted food commodities including maize, millet, sorghum, and garri.”

Umar also spoke about the impending flood disaster in the country, calling on the affected state to take proactive steps.

She said, “This year, the highly probable flood risk areas in Niger State are Agwara, Bida, Magama, Muya, Agaie, Shiroro, Bosso, Kontagora, Gurara, Chanchaga, Rafi and Lavun local government areas.

“I wish to request the state government to kindly take proactive and necessary mitigative measures in addressing these issues. “We direct the State Emergency Management Agency, frontline local government authorities and other response agencies to put in place preparedness actions.”