Nigeria Needs $200m To Tackle Humanitarian Impact Of Flood Kalu Tells A.U
By Oluwakemi Kindness
Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu says the humanitarian impact of the flood disasters in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States in the North East region of Nigeria would need about two hundred million dollars to tackle.
Addressing the special session of the ongoing 12th Annual Conference of Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments at the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) of the African Union (AU) in Midrand, South Africa, Kalu said over one million persons were displaced in one state by the natural disaster with tens of thousands of families without shelter, food, water and access to healthcare.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Kalu said flooding is one of the negative impacts of climate change in Africa which must be checked.
Kalu who is leading the Nigerian delegation to the conference told other African leaders that the tragedy has greatly affected the economy and the infrastructures of the states and the country at large.
He therefore called on the African Union and other international organizations to assist Nigeria in solving the humanitarian crisis even as the Parliament at his instance observed one minute silence in honour of those who died in the flood disaster.
“The estimated cost of the humanitarian response for this flood impact is about $200 million, needed to be able to bring the place back to shape”.
“How is the AU working to ensure a coordinated response to climate change induced crisis such as the recent flooding in Nigerian states”
“Mr President, are there specific interventions frameworks in place on mobilizing resources for member states facing climate related disasters like Nigeria”.
In a related development, Kalu while reacting to a presentation on the factors militating against the achievements of goals of Africa Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA) called for the removal of various bottlenecks.
“There are challenges confronting the achievement of the goals of these particular Africa Free Trade Agreement. One of which I have observed is the overlapping regional economic council membership. If we don’t remove the bottlenecks it will impede the success of which we intend to achieve”.
