(Suleja)
Following the flooding of many areas in Suleja, Niger state, occasioned by heavy rainfall which left at least 11 people dead, four of who are children of one family, the state government has ordered the demolition of all structures on the waterways in the major towns of the state.
The Governor of the state, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, gave the order on Tuesday when he visited the victims of in Suleja.
Duaglobalnews reports that the flood also destroyed property worth worth millions of naira.
The affected areas are: Anguwar Gwari, Almadeenat, Poulosa, Rafin Sanyi, Madalla, BJY Kwanba, Double Tee area and Anguwar Kuyanbana among others.
Bello described the incident as unfortunate, adding that the disaster would have been averted, if only the people did not build on the waterways.
He appealed to the residents to cooperate with the relevant environmental agencies charged with the responsibility of relocating them to safer places to guard against reccurrence.
Bello disclosed that the state government took the decision to avoid a reccurrence of the disaster.
He expressed the determination of his administration to increase efforts in evacuating refuse and disilting of water channels, expansion of culverts and opening up of alternative roads.
“We are saddened by this event that one family lost four children. What do you say to such parents. The best we can do at this point is to pray to God to guide and protect them and to give them the fortitude to bear their losses,”he said.
The governor also visited the Emir of Suleja, Alhaji Awwal Ibrahim, to commiserate with him over the incident.
Governor Bello, who informed the monarch of the measures government planned to adopt in averting similar incident, solicited his support ineducating the people on the need for them to desist from building on the waterways.
Responding, the Emir described the incident as unfortunate, noting that it occurred despite several warnings from him.
He, however,appealed to the state government to come up with a robust plan that would give the town a facelift.
Contributing,Alhaji Ahmed Inga, Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency, (NSEMA) and Alhaji Abdullahi Maje, the Chairman, Suleja Local Government, attributed the incident to human factor and called on residents to always adhere to government’s safety measures.
The father of the four children that died during the incident, Mr ThankGod Ebomara, appealed to the government to come to his aid.
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