Anambra Assembly Advocates Permanent Holding Centres For Flood Victims

The Anambra State House of Assembly recently, passed a resolution urging the Governor, Professor Chukwuma build permanent holding centres in the state for all the riverine Local Government Areas of the state to enable flood victims in those areas get succour during flooding.

The resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance sponsored to that effect by the member representing Ogbaru One Constituency, Honourable Noble Igwe during plenary.

The legislator noted that people in riverine areas are normally displaced from their homes for some months on annual basis with attendant hardship on lives since 2012.

Hazards associated
He regretted that children and elderly persons have become vulnerable to hazards associated with non-provision of adequate permanent holding camps for such emergencies, hence the need for Anambra State Government to establish standard permanent holding centres at strategic places for flood displaced persons.

He affirmed that the previous administration did not provide adequate measures to curb the menace of flood in the affected areas.

“The children and aged persons have become vulnerable to threatening hazards associated with the non-provision of adequate holding camps for such emergencies,”he said.

Honourable Nkechi Ogbuefi, representing Anaocha Constituency l, said that the women and children usually suffer most during flooding in various parts of the country.

“The floods usually force hundreds of thousands of people away from their homes and the majority of these people are women and children.

“Due to lack of shelter and camps, women and children are malnourished and they contend with water-borne diseases like cholera, malaria and dysentery.

“There is need to construct permanent IDP camps in those riverine areas with humanitarian assistance and medical services to safeguard their health and safety,” she said.

Relief materials

Contributing, the member representing Aguata Constituency Two, Honourable Tony Muobuike who applauded Governor Soludo for coming to the aid of flood displaced persons last year with relief materials maintained that if government takes proactive measures against flooding, it will prevent a lot of damages.

In their contributions, the member representing Anaocha Constituency Two, Honourable Ejike Okechukwu, his Anambra East Counterpart, Honourable Obi Nweke and the member for Onitsha Two Constituency, Honourable Jude Umennajiego added that construction of more permanent holding centres for flood displaced persons will prevent fire brigade approach to the issue, stop preventable deaths and ameliorate the sufferings of the people.

Also speaking, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Honourable Chukwuma Okoye called on the Federal Government to partner Anambra State Government in tackling the menace of flood ravaging the riverine areas.

The lawmakers emphasised that the warning by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) should not be taken lightly, adding that a repeat occurrence would not mean well for the state.

Speaker of the House, Right Honourable Somtochukwu Udeze described the motion as apt and read out the resolution of the House, while the lawmakers supported it through voice vote.The speaker called on Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo to urgently construct and furnish permanent holding centres in the flood prone communities in the state,to avoid loss of lives and properties this year.

Meanwhile, at plenary, the minority group in the State House of Assembly through the Deputy Minority leader, Honourable Douglass Egbuna,pledged their unalloyed support to the Speaker of the House, Right Honourable Udeze and Governor Chukwuma Soludo for the peace and progress of the House.

Lateefah Ibrahim