Several
houses have been submerged and many people rendered homeless following flood
from rainfall on Saturday in Minna township, Niger State.
Director General
of the state Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) Ahmed Inga, who disclosed this
in an interview with newsmen in Minna on Saturday, said the reported death of
three persons was yet to be confirmed as assessment was still ongoing by
officials.
Inga noted
that 75 per cent of the flood disaster was caused by indiscriminate refuse
disposal and building of houses on waterways in the affected areas.
He however, debunked
allegation that the flood was caused by spillage of water from Bosso Dam,
saying that the flooding was as a result of high intensity of rainfall.
Also, Ahmed
Ketso, acting governor of the state, who visited the affected areas to
sympathies with the victims, said the government was making efforts to
construct drainage within Minna township to avoid floodings.
He appealed
to people to see the flood as a natural disaster, adding that the government
would intervene with immediate effect to cushion the effect of the flood on
victims.
Ketso
directed the state Ministry of Environment to commence sensitisation for people
to desist from dumping refuse and building of structures on waterways.
Adamu Rijau,
a resident of Bosso Estate, who noted that most of the affected houses in the
area were built on waterways, called on government to step in and stop all
lands allocation on waterways.
Also, Inuwa
Bawa, Ward Head of Dutsen Kura Hausa, disclosed that seven houses were
completely washed away in the area.
He called on
the government to intervene and construct concrete drainage in the area to
avoid reoccurrence.
Areas
affected were Mypa road, Bosso Estate, Shaun Village, Okada road and Dusten
Kura Hausa in Bosso and Chanchaga Local Government Areas of the state.
