The House of Representatives has sought the establishment of National Ecological Intervention Commission to protect Nigerians ruined by flood disasters across the country.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday in Awka after a meeting with stakeholders in the environment and agriculture sector, member representing Anambra East and West Federal Constituency, Chief Chinedu Obidigwe noted that the proposed Commission would manage part of the ecological funds derived from Federal allocations.
Obidigwe, who is also the Vice Chairman, House Committee on Environment, harped on the need for a special intervention fund for over 15 states that are yearly affected by the perennial flooding in the country.
This year's flooding led to the death of 600 people even as 2.5 million Nigerians were displaced, The most affected states were Anambra, Delta, Kogi, Rivers, Benue, Yobe, Cross River and Bayelsa.
Obidigwe said that the commission would also interface with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to provide grants to farmers that incur losses during flooding incidence.
“When flooding starts, we begin to talk about it and keep lamenting and making suggestions, but when is over, we forget everything and do nothing that is proactive to avert future occurrences", he added.
The vice chairman said though the National Emergency Management Agency has been assisting flood victims but given the monumental losses recorded each season, that there is the need to establish a National Ecological Intervention Commission.
He noted that the commission would be partially independent to handle and manage a special budget of at least N250 billion that should be allocated to the affected states.
Obidigwe disclosed that if the Niger Delta Development Commission was set up for oil producing states, that there is nothing wrong in establishing a similar agency for the states that are prunned by seasonal flooding.
He lamented that flooding led to the destruction of farmlands, especially in Anambra where farmers lost billions of Naira.
The vice chairman stated that he spent about N2 billion to assist farmers and fishermen in Anambra East and Anambra West, adding that the money was insufficient to meet up with the losses.
He stated that most of the farmers in his constituency collected loan to set up their farms, adding that they lost their investment to flooding and was unable to repay the bank loans, which was rather frustrating.
Obidigwe suggested that if the commission is established with the statutory budget of at least N250 billion, that farmers would not loose sleep over flooding.
He sought for the dredging of Omabala River and the creation of irrigation to assist farmers interested in dry season cultivation.
This, he believed would reduce the volume of water during the perennial flooding that occurs between August or September.
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