— Vows to Rebuild Washed-Away Bridges, Restore Power Supply
The Federal Government has approved the sum of ₦2 billion for the construction of resettlement homes for victims of last Wednesday’s devastating flood in Mokwa, Niger State.
Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima announced the intervention on Wednesday during a sympathy and assessment visit to the affected communities in Mokwa Local Government Area.
Visibly shocked by the extent of the destruction, Shettima disclosed that 20 trucks of rice have been approved for immediate release to provide relief to the displaced families. He assured the victims that the federal government would take all necessary steps to ease their suffering.
“This government stands with you. We will not abandon you in this time of distress,” Shettima said while addressing residents.
To ensure efficient distribution of relief materials, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, has been directed to temporarily relocate to Mokwa and oversee the coordination of the aid process.
In addition, Shettima announced the immediate replacement of the damaged 14 MVA transformer to restore power supply to Mokwa town, which has been in total blackout since the incident. He also directed the Federal Ministry of Environment to repair all damaged drainages and reconstruct the bridges that were washed away by the flood.
However, the Vice President emphasized that while the federal government would do its part, state and local governments must also rise to their responsibilities.
“We cannot do everything from Abuja. The state and Mokwa local government must also play their roles,” he added.
Earlier, Deputy Governor Comrade Yakubu Garba, who received the Vice President on behalf of Governor Umaru Bago, painted a grim picture of the humanitarian crisis.
“As of Tuesday, we have recovered 156 bodies, with about 1,000 people still unaccounted for. The state is still in shock,” he said.
According to him, 13,354 people were directly affected by the disaster, with 4,534 individuals displaced, 458 households impacted, and 161 lives lost. He also reported 186 injuries, 84 missing persons, 265 buildings destroyed or severely damaged, two major roads washed away, and five key bridges collapsed, including the vital Goodwill Bridge, which links Mokwa to other parts of the country.
He appealed to the federal government to extend more support, particularly to empower widows and other displaced persons whose livelihoods have been destroyed.
The Vice President was accompanied by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Sabi Abdullahi.