By Peter Duru
The Benue State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to take timely action to put measures in place to mitigate the anticipated flooding in the state resulting from the rise in River Benue through the release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
The party cautioned that the state as host of River Benue is prone to be badly hit by flood waters in the coming weeks and urged the Governor to act fast to mitigate the impact of the looming flood in the state.
The party in a statement Sunday in Makurdi by its Publicity Secretary, Bemgba Iortyom noted that “a correspondence from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria addressed to the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and dated a few days back informs of a “Norte Verbale” from the High Commission of the Republic of Cameroon informing that ‘Cameroonian officals have resolved to open the flood gates of the Lagdo Dam on the Benue River in days ahead due to the heavy rainfall around the Dam catchment area in Northern Cameroon.’
He pointed out that “what this portends is a flooding of areas on the banks of the River Benue in the state, as had happened in previous years when such action was taken on the dam, with attendant displacement of people and huge losses in property.
“While the flooding may not be averted, Governor Alia can take preemptive action through the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, to mitigate losses to property and suffering occasioned on the people.
“Drawing from experiences governments under its sponsorship had with such situations in the past, PDP urges the governor, whom it learns is out of the country, to issue directives for due diligence for funds appropriation through relevant organs of government, including the State Assembly, to enable SEMA set up camps for displaced persons ahead of time.
“It is the understanding of our great party that timely action by Governor Alia in those communities identified as prone to the impending disaster will mitigate the losses and suffering it has potential to cause.”
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