Zulum directs Kadafur to assess flood damages for support, compensation
By Njadvara MUSA, Maiduguri
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has directed his deputy, Usman Kadafur to assess damages of floods in the affected Councils for support and compensation to victims,
According to him, the 27 Coucils’ flood assessment team, was to ascertain the levels of damages to both lives and other property of affected residents.
Zulum gave the directives last Tuesday while assessing the levels of damages at the Moromoro vegetable market in Gambouru Community of Maiduguri.
The flooding of the metropolis was a sequel to the release of excess water on September 10, 2022, from Alau Dam by the Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA).
Other flooded areas comprise eight communities sited on the “banks and plains” of River Ngadda that flows across the metropolis.
Commiserating the victims in the state, he said: “We’re again visited by this unfortunate flooding which has affected communities not only in Maiduguri but in other parts of the state.”
He stated that Kadafur will be heading an assessment team to all the flood-affected communities of the Councils.
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“This is to determine all the extent of damages to lives and property and identify the flood victims for support and compensations by the State government,” he said.
The Governor attributed the perennial flooding to the blocking of waterways and the illegal building of houses without plans.
The over 1, 000 houses of residents are sited along water channels, forcing the flow of river water through various communities to cause damage to the property.
“We will intervene and provide temporary measures for now,” he said, noting that the measures could be implemented after the rainy season in October.
Besides the temporary measures, he added that there will be permanent solutions to the perennial flooding in the state.
According to him, the measures and consultative approaches include the resettling of flood victims currently living on the waterways and riverbanks.
Zulum had in July visited communities affected by floods in Damboa and provided support to the victims mainly households and farmers with inputs and tractors.
In the last two weeks, he also constituted a committee led by Kaka Shehu Lawan, the former Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice and current APC’s 2023 candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial District.
He noted that Lawan had overseen the State’s Ministry of Environment on different occasions and was familiar with matters of flooding and control it to save lives and property.
Since the establishment of Borno State Geographic Information Service (BOGIS) in 2019, the agency has enhanced the capacity of the State Urban Planning and Development Board to adopt measures with relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The measures, according to the Governor, will address the perennial flooding across the state, particularly in Maiduguri, the most populated city with residential houses in the Northeast.
