The Nation Newspaper

Tag: rains

  • NiMet predicts thunderstorms, rains today

    NiMet predicts thunderstorms, rains today

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted that the southern part of the central states would experience thunderstorms with chances of rains this morning.

    The predictions are contained in the Weather Outlook issued by NiMet’s Central Forecast Office (CFO) yesterday in Abuja.

    It added that localized thunderstorms with rains are likely to affect a few places within the region such as Zaria, Kaduna, Jos, Bauchi, Yola and Gombe axis later in the day.

    NiMet also predicted that the coastal areas would experience cloudy conditions over the southwest with chances of localized rains over the southeast coast in the morning.

    It said that localized rains would be expected in the afternoon and evening hours over the entire region.

    NiMet also predicted that the inland areas would experience a cloudy morning over the southwest cities, with chances of continuous intermittent localized rains over the southeast the entire day.

    It added that localized rains may linger over a few of the southwest cities in the afternoon and evening hours.

    NiMet further predicted that the northern cities of Kano, Katsina, Gusau and Sokoto axis would experience thunderstorms with chances of localized thunderstorms over Dutse, Nguru, Potiskum in the morning hours.

    The agency added that localised afternoon thunderstorms may persist over some northern cities within the region during the forecast period.

  • Delayed rains threaten North’s food production, say farmers

    Delayed rains threaten North’s food production, say farmers

    Farmers in some northern parts of the country have expressed worry that the delay in the rainfall experienced this year may affect food production in the country.

    Meteorologists had predicted that some northern parts of the country would experience delay in the arrival of rains this cropping season, while they were also advised not to rush to plant.

    Some of the farmers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that most farmers are yet to begin planting due to lack of adequate rainfall.

    They said the situation posed serious threat to food production in the region this year.

    One of the farmers, Malam Baushe Talle, said: “Rain is a factor in plant growth, therefore, the greater the rainfall, the faster the seed grows and the higher the yield.”

    Another farmer, Malam Musa Abdu, stressed the need for government to provide farmers in the region with drought resistant seeds, to avert crop failure and ensure bumper harvest.

    “Farmers should also be educated on different farming techniques because of this kind of situation,” he said.

    Malam Lawan Kado, advised government to reduce the effects of potential food shortage by buying the surplus directly from farmers.

    ‘’So, if there is a shortage of food, the stored ones can be sold at cheaper prices in order to ensure that food prices remain affordable and stable,” he said.

    Malam Musa Dogara and Malam Maiwada Karaukarau, canvassed for adequate budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector to ensure easy access to facilities and farm inputs required to sustain massive production.

    According to them, such provision would ensure prompt supply of fertilisers, chemicals, improved seeds and farming implements, as well as credit facilities to farmers.

    Secretary, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Alhaji Garba Bichi, advised farmers in the northern states to plant their crops as soon as the rains start.

    “Farmers should not wait for heavy downpour before they start planting because if they plant early, crops will mature before the rain stops,’’ he said.

    Bichi urged farmers to embrace dry season farming as solution to inadequate or delayed rainfall.

    “In fact formers must embrace irrigation in order to augment the shortfall during wet season farming,” Bichi added.

    Chairman, Kaduna state Commercial Agriculture Association, Malam Nuhu Umar, said timely provision of farming inputs including seeds and fertiliser, was key to sustainable agricultural production in the country.

    “As long as farmers do not have timely access to inputs and at affordable price, they would continue to produce at a loss and this could pose serious threat to the country’s quest for food security.

    “As such, the government must on a consistent level make available seeds, fertiliser, tractors and other crucial farm inputs as well as training us in modern farming techniques.

    “This will go a long way to assist us remain in business and compete with other farmers from developed countries,” he said.

    According to him, farmers are recording consistent drop in yield due to lack of access to vital farm inputs and adequate rains.

    The chairman, however, begin the Kaduna State Government for providing 30, 215 tonnes of fertiliser to farmers at subsidised rate and 186 tractors to be sold to farmers at 60 per cent discount.

    Alhaji Nuhu Aminu, AFAN chairman in Kaduna State, stressed the need for government at all levels to encourage agricultural mechanisation to enhance food production and security.

    Aminu encouraged farmers to form cooperatives in order to access loan with which to procure tractors and other farm inputs to boost agricultural production.

    The chairman identified lack of access to credit facilities and markets for agricultural produce as major setback to agricultural growth in Nigeria.

    Aliyu observed that non availability of markets had discouraged many people from continuing with farming activities.

    An Environmentalist, Prof Ibrahim Jaro of Geography Department, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, said the report which stated that over 90 million Nigerians are hungry, referred to those not getting balanced diet.

    “What the report meant is that over 90 per cent of Nigerians are lacking balance diet.

    “The fact that you eat three times a day does not mean that you are not hungry.

    “You may eat yam at breakfast, semovita during lunch and rice as dinner, but you only succeeded in taking carbohydrate, which will only supply you energy nothing else,” he said.

    According to him, for a person not to be hungry, he needs to have a food that is well balanced.

    Some peasant farmers who spoke with NAN appealed to government at all levels to stop paying lips service to agriculture and increase their budgetary allocations in order to boost food production in the country.

    The Kogi Government said it has begun the distribution of N232 million loan and grants to 145,000 farmers in rural areas of the state.

    A statement in Lokoja yesterday by the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Media, Mr Jacob Edi, said the grant would be given to farmers on the platform of Nigerian Agricultural Payment Initiative e- wallet system.

    According to the statement, the loan aspect of the package is being disbursed in phases by the state government in partnership with the Kogi Farmers Cluster Development Union.

    It said that 145,000 rural farmers selected across the 21 local government governments in the state had been listed to benefit.

    Also. the Federal Government said it distributed seeds and fertiliser worth N2.5 billion to rice farmers in Jigawa for the 2014/2015 farming season.

    The Director, Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) in the state, Malam Ahmad Labaran, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse that the farm inputs were distributed to 177,425 rice farmers in Hadejia, Kafin-Hausa and Auyo.

    He added that each farmer was given two bags of fertiliser and 2.5 kg of improved rice seed, saying the items were given to the farmers at subsidised price

  • Now that the rains are here

    SIR: For generations, rainfall has been known to serve as showers of divine blessings as it had always provided the needed blessings that mankind needed for survival. Rain water has constantly been nature’s solution to drought and famine. Therefore, while the approaching of the rainy season delights the farmers and also a boost to electricity supply, for residents of Lagos, a coastal state, the wet season is not always the best time of the year. It is a period that comes with the intimidating challenge of flooding. And when it happens, many homes are swamped, property worth fortunes are destroyed and sometimes human lives are involved as the tide sweeps away everything in their path, leaving residents to recount tales of woes. To an average Lagosian, rainfall could be a curse rather than a blessing. Usually, whenever it rains heavily across the state, there is a rise in the Lagoon and ocean, which automatically locks up all the canals already blocked with litters by residents due to indiscriminate dumping of refuse. This naturally  results in flooding noticed in the metropolis. However, flash flood is noticed on the road after continuous rainfall which, soon after, disappears after the canals are able to empty into the water bodies.

    It is a known fact that usually flooding occurs in the metropolitan areas as a result of urbanization which leads to generation of more wastes that are being dumped indiscriminately in the drainage channels. To forestall the occurrences of tragedies that have characterized this season previously, the state government has been cleaning, clearing and de-silting of drainages and canals on the highways and streets in the metropolis prior to the coming of the rains. Therefore, the residents of the state should brace up to the task of ensuring a zero tolerance for flooding by fulfilling their own part through constant cleaning of the drainage channels and by desisting from dumping their wastes arbitrarily. Lagosians should take the issue of obtaining approvals before erecting their buildings in order not to build on drainage channels, thereby blocking free flow of water whenever it rains.

    There some flood plain areas in the state which are susceptible to flood. Areas like Ajegunle, Owode Onirin and Owode Elede in Kosofe Local Government Area, Kuramo Beach, Alpha Beach on the Island as well as Mende- Maryland, Ijora- Badia and Iwaya among others fall in this category. As a result of the incessant rainfall which seems to have begun for the year, the Lagos State government has advised residents living in the low line areas (flood plains) to relocate due to the rising level of water from the rainfall. This is essential for affected residents because of the persistent rains since March which had led to the rise in water level of the lagoons and rivers as a result of back-flow into adjoining low line areas.

    We must take our destiny into our hands and do all the needful to ward off avoidable natural calamities. Hence, the need for everyone to support the state government in protecting the environment.

    • Bilkis Bakare

    Ministry of Information & Strategy,

    Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

  • Rains and the upsurge in malaria cases

    SIR: One of the many disadvantages of the rainy season is the upsurge in Malaria cases. It is like a time of the year when dead mosquitoes arise to take revenge on the humans that killed them.

    Malaria in Nigeria, according to the Nigerian Ministry of Health (MoH), is responsible for 60 percent of out-patient visits to health facilities; 30 percent of childhood deaths; 25 percent of deaths in children under one year; and 11 percent of maternal deaths. The disease is directly contributing to poverty, low productivity, and reduced school attendance in Nigeria.

    For a country with a population of about 120 million, results show that Nigeria loses about N880,801 million per annum representing about 12 percent of our Gross Domestic Product. Hence, malaria burden in Nigeria is enormous and has a devastating impact on economic growth.

    Methods used to prevent malaria include medications, mosquito elimination and the prevention of bites.

    Here’s where mosquito nets come to play. Mosquito nets create a protective barrier against malaria-carrying mosquitoes that bite at night, they help keep mosquitoes away from people and significantly reduce infection rates and transmission of malaria. Nets are often treated with an insecticide designed to kill the mosquito before it has time to find a way past the net. Insecticide-treated nets are estimated to be twice as effective as untreated nets and offer greater than 70% protection compared with no net but when purchasing a mosquito net, you should still ask for the treated one as some are not treated.

    Anti-malaria drugs have been known to work effectively in malaria prevention, so go to the doctor for medications even if you are well and feeling healthy, complete your dosage so as not to give malaria a chance. When temporarily visiting malaria-endemic areas, it is adviced to begin taking anti-malaria medication prescribed by your doctor one to two weeks before arriving.

    Before you to go to sleep, apply insecticides in your home, do not be in the room when the insecticide is still strong and close your doors and windows early in the evening to prevent mosquitoes from coming in. Remember to fumigate your house at least once in a year. In the home, cover areas of stagnant, still water, such as water tanks that are ideal breeding grounds for the parasite and mosquito.

    Every pregnant woman should take the prevention of malaria seriously as it is the major cause of stillbirths so when feeling any sign of malaria, go to the doctor immediately for treatment and avoid areas where malaria and mosquitoes are present if you are at higher risk; and remember, flu and malaria have almost the same symptoms so don’t confuse the symptoms with the flu and neglect the doctor’s visitation.

    The prevention of diseases should be a major focus of any country seeking development. A friend in the United Kingdom was diagnosed with malaria and had to be quarantined for a week, she was in a confined space and visitors had to wear masks before coming in to see her, which goes to highlight how important the disease is been treated in the UK.

    The rainy season is good but we all have to work around the disadvantages it brings with it like malaria.

     

    • Adetola Ojo

    National Emergency Management Agency, Abuja.

     

  • Rains revive hope of good harvest

    After the ‘August break’,rain lashing  on  northern states will bring back smiles to farmers who had lost all hopes of a good crop this year, the  Programme Coordinator,Farmers Development Union (FDU) Mr Victor Olowe  has said.

    He was reacting to reports on rains in Bauchi and Katsina states.

    He said harvest prospects would improve significantly with good rains.

    According to him, this was a relief to producers who had expected poor weather to impact crops more severely.

    He said the cultivation of crops will get a boost this year if rain continues like that for a while.

    According to him, farms in the south will receive  their share  of rain and predicted a good prospect of crop yield this year.

    Despite fears in the North, Olowe said the heavy rains will end soon.

    Dry spell in some areas of the North have adversely affected crops  meaning  a lean year ahead for farmers.

    Farmers were facing a very serious situation because of the dry spell  as  thousands of hectares of farmland on which different types of crops would have been destroyed.

    The net effect of this is that  the  nation  have to depend on imports to meet its food requirements.

    For him, rainfall over the producing areas would reconstitute  soil water reserves, providing relief to stressed crops and improving crop prospects.

    Analysts say the major problem is that farmers are no longer able to properly time their planting because of the changing climatic patterns.

    Farmers in  these  areas  have  expressed  fear  heavy  rains  could threaten  the prospect of a good harvest and  crops  may be submerged  in  water.  Parts of the areas, were hit by the heavy rainfall, raising fears that floods could wash crops from farmlands.

    Director, Africa Region,Cassava Adding Value to Africa, Dr  Kola Adebayo  said  early  weather alerts  should  monitor food security  to enable positive crop production outlook .

    Last year, according to him,heavy rains and floods caused considerable human casualties and damage to crops in several  states  last year.

    Food supply remains generally unsatisfactory, while thousands of people were rendered homeless.

    In the areas affected, yield potential were reduced and late plantings or replanting will need rains late in the season to cover their entire growing cycle.

    In Bauchi farmers complained that more rains could hamper harvest.

    The north had experienced some of the hardest weather last year with long periods of dryness and very high temperatures.

    Harvesting has yet to begin in earnest in the main production regions in the north and south.

    Rains resumed from mid-February providing relief to previously dry areas, but were rather excessive in parts causing flooding in low-lying areas.

  • Rains; NASS’ women; After NASS dollars – ABCD-A Bag of Corruption Diamonds?; N23.5b- Murder charges?

    Rains; NASS’ women; After NASS dollars – ABCD-A Bag of Corruption Diamonds?; N23.5b- Murder charges?

    Another $1,000,000,000 or N155,000,000,000 or N1,550/Nigeria from Excess Crude Account. Yet governments fail to provide water, transport, education and power for business, domestic and recreation. Will the $1 billion just buy jets or diamonds?

    Nigeria’s rainy season must never again stop road maintenance work for 4-6months. Let the 2013 road maintenance motto be ‘Make Nigerian Roads Pothole-Free Year-round!’ It rains for only 50% of rainy season days. There is a quick-dry pothole filler and boots.

    The ban on network promos is a victory for citizens who have that money in the pocket estimated at N10+billion/annum. Hurray!

    When you question National Assembly (NASS) and government, you are attacked, sacked, or taken to court as a criminal or rubbished. The malignant pursuit of Oby Ezekwesili over government’s accountability for $67,000,000,000 or N10,050,000,000,000 or $670/Nigerian or N100,500/Nigerian is typical. Government should answer the question, ignoring her record or any perceived First Lady or Madam President political aspirations. Many have suffered imprisonment and execution for daring government. Remember the malicious entrapment of Professor Nike Grange and her court clearance two years later.

    Government and NASS’ ‘NASSty’ antics are like the Roman Emperor and Senate with the Roman Coliseum being both the NASS floor and ‘Public Hearings’ where citizens are torn to pieces by ‘NASS lions’. The NASS herd instinct shows against NASS’ women victims. Was Onagoruwa dismissed for ‘incompetence’ or ‘over-competence’ and stopping thieving politicians? The cases of whistle-blowing Oteh and Ezekwesili are fresh. There is Demuren thrown in for sex balancing. How much of this is ‘bad belle’ in NASS? Nigerians must be sceptical when NASS cries ‘wolf’. Too many wolves are in NASS, in sheep’s clothing and diverting attention from their irresponsibly high Salaries and Perks, ‘SAPing’ Nigeria dry. Serving NASS members give out N35-100,000,000 each as ‘constitutional grants/gifts’ totalling N15billion. Channel this money through government. The NASS investigation of the Sure –Plus also smells of NASS greed. As lawmakers, NASS in 2013 must stop being contractors, directly or by proxy.

    We need an arbitrator because the NASS should not be judge and jury and may not represent the people over its own interests and bias. We need judicial panels of enquiry, independent of NASS and government. Nigeria cannot survive many more multi-billion scams. Government since 1999 has failed responsibility for preventing stealing in its highly paid staff. Anti-corruption goes beyond rhetoric, posters, T-shirts and caps, hamstrung anti-corruption organisations and neglected police from pigsty colleges after paying N30,000 for entry form – scams exposed by NASS and Channels TV Award winning documentary. Government must think and introduce ways to prevent more ‘Financial Terrorism’ impoverishing citizens.

    Tell your children that Nigeria is wealthy, but abandoned to avaricious, malicious, unloving political, civil service and contractor robbery gangs. We are so mediocre that we over-celebrate a good flyover and most politicians call for Public Private Partnerships to cover up theft. All but a few of our leaders are short on vision, moral and fiscal probity and social responsibility.

    What level will corruption reach in 2013? Are EFCC and ICP strategising to proactively counter it? We know about bulky naira, slim dollars and sex as bribes. But as Otedola/ Lawan may know, cash is difficult to conceal even in a hat. Could we have flamboyant political wives, expensive girlfriends and political WIP, ‘Women In Power’, preferring ‘Naomi Campbell/ Taylor’ ‘love’ diamonds to dollars. They are concealable in eba and play boxes of grandchildren where EFCC may miss an ABCD – ‘A Bag of Cut Diamonds’. While you wait to see some VIP, the secretary may sing ‘Diamonds are madam’s best friend’ or ask the oga’s PA what is her favourite Bond film? You guessed it -‘Diamonds are forever’. Do not rush abroad to order ‘A Bag of Corruption Diamonds’.

    In 2013, governments must be pre-emptive and put job creating, money saving, 5-10,000 roving EFCC, ICPC financial ‘follow the money’ book keeping, computer literate audit staff and computerised auditing everywhere as ‘Preventive Anti-Corruption Drives’. Computerisation is resisted by crooked staff. Is NPA computerised? Ask Pa Anenih. Stop corruption in NPA in 2013! Jail the monitors with the crooks if they take bribes.

    ‘Catch Corruption Early’ should be the 2013 anticorruption slogan as Nigeria cannot survive such huge losses. Why was the pension fraud not discovered early, at N1m or even N10m? Find out and correct this on NPA and elsewhere now.

    The monitoring auditors and Directors should be tried for ‘dereliction of duty’ and ‘Financial Terrorism’. Nigeria’s financial incompetence has allowed one individual, with accomplices to ‘disappear’ more than N23,500,000,000 or $150,000,000 or N250/Nigerian or N80,000/serving police man and woman. Did past IGPs benefit? Are all involved being persecuted? How much did he retain? Can EFCC remain incorruptible? ‘Class action’ and individual legal cases of ‘negligence’, ‘theft’, murder’ and ‘Grievous Mental and Bodily Harm- GMBH, can be brought by police and surviving family.

    Then he can be tried by government for financial terrorism, malignant incompetence and anti-government activities which have done more damage, killed more and caused more misery than Boko Haram and MEND together. He smiles arrogantly having taken N23.5+ billion from police known for extra-judicial killings and accidental discharge for N20.

    A country’s financial controls are as important as physical police controls to security. Pre-emptive strike forensic audit vigilance can prevent such scams. Police pensioners say no diversionary ‘Go for Verification or Biometric Data Capture’ in the sun. Pay them quickly. Nigerians must stop needless suffering!

  • Eagles defy rains for Stallions

    After a hectic trip from Faro, Portugal, through Lisbon and from there to Johannesburg, South Africa, before arriving at their Nations Cup 2013 first round base in Nelspruit, last Thursday evening, the Super Eagles have quickly settled down with four training sessions so far at the lush green pitch of Ingwenyama Sports and Resort Centre.

    The workout session supervised by Head Coach, Stephen Keshi first started at 8am local time and 7am in Nigeria on Friday. Keshi took the players on regaining the physicality after a long trip and told them that there would be another training session later in the evening at 7:30pm, which will be 6:30 in Nigeria. The training sessions have since been done once daily in the evenings at about 7:30pm, which is one hour less in Nigerian time.

    Not even the heavy downpour of Saturday and Sunday could prevent the Nigerian side from having their training sessions as they prepare for their opening game today against Burkina Faso. “We can’t take chances whether it rains or not”, Chelsea’s John Mikel Obi said when asked about the readiness of the team.

    All the players responded very well and the team is injury-free, with skipper Joseph Yobo saying it was good to be back in the bright sunny weather of Africa. “It’s been good since we got here and I think the players are gradually getting used to being together and I know we will have a beautiful tournament”, the Nigeria captain declared.

    The national team held a media parley with the international press at 3:30pm local time on Sunday evening and trained later in the evening at 7:30pm for their game against their West African neigbhours. The training held in Ngwenyama because of the rains in South Africa to avoid the pitch of the Mbombela Stadium from being in poor state before the game.

    The cheery news was the return to full training by goalkeeper, Austin Ejide. Ejide had copped an injury in one of the team’s international friendlies against Cape Verde in Portugal. “I feel real good and ready; I am taking it easy as the medics have advised but am feeling real good”, he declared. On Saturday evening, goalkeeper trainer, Ike Shorunmu, took Ejide on a special training session with Ejide turning out impressive dives, punches and general conditioning of a good goalkeeper. He should at least be good for the bench in today’s game.

  • Bad Wednesday as rains pound Anambra, Delta

    Bad Wednesday as rains pound Anambra, Delta

    YEARS flowed yesterday at Nzam, Anambra West Local Government Area, Anambra State. So was also the fate of hundreds of communities on the bank of River Niger in Delta State. Reason: They were sacked by the flood that is ravaging the country.

    The Nzam Police Station, the house of the traditional ruler of Ukwalla community and the headquarters of the Local Government Area of Nzam  have all been submerged.

    The Anambra West council transition chairman, Chief Augustine Chukwurah, his deputy, Godwin Onyeaka and all the workers have all relocated to Awka and other areas close to Onitsha.

    Over 16 police officers, including the new Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and nurses at Nzam hospital were trapped and awaiting rescuers.

    Domestic animals, such as goat sheep and chicken in the 10 communities that make up Anambra West have been swept away.

    Chukwurah, who took The Nation on a three-hour tour of the flooded area by a speed boat, said the lives of residents were endangered.

    According to him, the last time such floods were recorded was in 1969. He said the problem had gone beyond Governor Peter Obi, who visited the area recently.

    Though no life had been lost so far, the devastation is great.

    Chukwurah said his office and workers had moved over to Umueze Anam sub-treasury office in Anambra East Local Government Area.

    The Ukwalla royal father, Igwe Joseph Agudu (the Igashi I), was speechless as the flood has taken over his entire kingdom. Members of his family have been sacked from the palace.

    They have relocated to a safer haven in Awka, the state capital, just as other households.

    Lamenting that all the buildings in his community had been submerged, he appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene urgently.

    His words: “Our governor, Mr. Peter Obi is incapacitated because this natural disaster is beyond his capability. We can only get remedy from the Federal Government and international donor agencies.”

    Obi’s aide on Special Duties, Tony Nwabunwanne, confirmed the evacuation of residents to avoid loss of lives.

    He said: “We are worst than Haiti. This area is now hopeless, this problem has gone beyond our governor, who before now, had done enough regarding this flood, the only difference between us and Kogi State is that lives had been lost there”.

    “The state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had equally visited without any solution yet. My people are in danger.”

    Mr Gabriel Obiorah and Mrs Okwuchukwu Chinwuba, both peasant farmers in Anambra West council area, were all tears, having lost all to the flood.

    In Delta, the government yesterday began to evacuate the displaced residents to public schools. Deputy Governor Prof. Amos Utuama, SAN, who is chairman of the State Government’s Special Emergency Committee on Flood Disaster Management, described the disaster as overwhelming and called for the intervention of federal agencies.

    Communities in over seven local government areas of the state, including Oshimili North, Oshimili South, Ndokwa East, Ughelli South, Bomadi, Burutu, Isoko South have been sacked by the flood, Utuama said.

    He listed the affected communities as: Asaba, the State capital, Anwai, Illah, Okwagbe, Uzere, Aviara, Abari, Burutu, Bomadi, Okpai, Aboh, Abala- Oshimili, Abala-Uno, Oko.

    But the Utuama committee rose to tackle the flood by  relocating some displaced people around Asaba to the St. Patrick’s College, where they are being accommodated  and provided with food and other basic items.

    Utuama, whose committee has been going round the affected communities, described the disaster as overwhelming and beyond the capacity of the state government.

    Utuama called on the Federal Government and its relevant agencies to come to the aid of the state government in providing immediate, medium and long term solution.

    The warning that the worst is yet to come was served yesterday by the Director-General, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Dr. Anthony Anuforom.

    Anuforum said the rain, as it subsides, may be accompanied with violent wind.

    According to him, as the new season approaches, Nigerians should be expectant and careful of the strong wind.

    Speaking at a media parley yesterday in Abuja on the recent flooding across the country, he said: “We are transiting now from the raining season to the dry season. I can tell you that the kind of thing we should expect is that as the rain is rescinding, it will come with violent wind. It may come with violent wind in some areas. So, I will advice that people should watch out.

    “When that happens, people should avoid staying under trees or electric poles and so on because the wind may be so violent that they may be pulled down.”

    The NIMET chief stated that the rain may start decreasing from October 15 to December in places such as Kano, Katsina and Maiduguri in Yenagoa, Port Harcourt and Calabar.

    The House of Representatives has backed the Senate in requesting President Goodluck Jonathan to present a supplementary budget to address the ravaging flood in parts of true country.

    The lawmakers in their resolution advocated for the input of the Ecological Fund to mitigate the effects of the disaster.

    The Fund that has been on first line charge since  inception in 1981 has received one percent of the Federation Account before it  was reviewed upwards to two percent in 1992.

    While the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal descried the fund as ‘a mystery fund’, Chairman Committee on Environment, Uche Ekwunife (Anambra, APGA) disclosed the inability of her committee to get details of the fund from the Presidency.

    She said after a year, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) has refused to furnish her committee with the financial statement of the Fund that ought to have aided the on-going investigation of the fund by the Committee.

    Ekwunife added: ”The Ecological Fund has become a contentious issue in this country as it stands, it is solely at the discretion of Mr President on how the Fund is used”.

    The Deputy Majority Leader, Leo Ogor (Delta, PDP) wondered when the fund would impact on the lives of Nigerians when it could not be useful in mitigating effects of natural disasters.

  • Floods sack Kaduna, Benue communities after days of rains

    Floods sack Kaduna, Benue communities after days of rains

    At least 178 homes have been swept away in Kaduna metropolis following 350 days of torrential rainfall.

    Vice President Namadi Sambo’s house and the zonal office of the Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) along Gabarau Road near the new Kaduna Bridge are in danger of being submerged because of the rising water level.

    In Benue State, about 350 hectares of rice farm along the bank of River Benue has been destroyed by flood.

    Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said yesterday that more houses may be affected in the coming days as the level of water on the Kaduna river continues to rise.

    Executive Secretary of the Agency, Ishaku Dogo Makama, however, said the agency has no record of death so far, even though many residents of the metropolis believe that the figure of houses affected is more than the figures given.

    A Senior Lecturer with the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Dr. Mhamud Umar, said: “In the Zaria, area where I live, one family lost their apartment. The entire house collapsed. The owner of the house had to sleep outside because of their property while his family went to take refuge somewhere”.

    Weather experts had predicted that Kaduna will be affected by flood, especially between September and October, compelling the government to issue a warning on August 7, to residents of flood-prone areas to evacuate.

    Some of the areas affected by the floods include Abubakar Kigo Road extension, Rafin Guza, Nasarawa, Bashan Road, Tudun Wada and Unguwan Rimi GRA, among others. The areas are flood-prone, but attract lots of people annually.

    Makama said a combined effort of the agency and officials of the Nigeria Red Cross came with the figure of the affected houses saying “after the assessment of these areas by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Red Cross, we confirmed 178 homes submerged. We have not heard of any reported death or injury. We are writing a report to government, so, we can be helped to set up camp for affected people. We are still appealing to people living in flood-prone areas to please leave, as the danger of flooding is not yet over”. It was gathered that some of the houses affected at the high brow Unguwan Rimi GRA, New Extension, were homes of the rich who build houses not too far from the Kaduna River which is already on the tip of the bridge.

    One of those affected by the flood along Abubakar Kigo Road and a Reporter with The Road , Miss Amina Anebi said: “I was woken up by a roaring sound. When I woke up, I heard the sound of water gushing from my doors and windows, so I jumped out of bed. “I discovered that the water had risen close to my ankles. I started to move my things and put them on top of the table. I carried some on my head. When I opened the door, more water flowed in. I managed to wade through it. By this time, it was waist-high.

    “This was around 2am and there was water everywhere. As I speak now, my things are still there. I saw people moving out their things in vehicles, some carrying their children moving their things about that night. It came as a surprise to many of us”, she said.

    Unguwan Rafi, housing the state legislative quarters was not left out as the flood turn the place into an overnight lake. Men in canoe were seen doing brisk business, moving people out and recovering some valuables for them. At the time of this report, the water level was still rising and there was no immediate succour to those affected who are taking refuge with friends and family members across the metropolis.

    About 50 kilometre stretch of Rice farm ,cultivated on 350 hectares of land along the Bank of River Benue has been destroyed by flood from water released from Lagdo dam in cameroun.

    Most of the farmers affected by the floods are those engaged in out growers scheme of Mess Ashi Foods limited ,owners of Ashi Rice Mill, with biggest rice processing plant at Anyiin, Local Government Area.

    With the flooding, the hope of harvesting this season is dashed and the fear of rice scarcity ,which would also scuttle the government effort on rice importation.

    There is also the fear of food crisis as Benue is considered as the food basket of the nation and a major rice-procession region in the country, accounting for 45 per cent of local rice production .There are two modern rice milling plant in operation.

    Ashi Foods limited, owners of Ashi Rice Mill are already counting losses as a result of the flooding.

    The Project Coordinator of the company, Joesph Tsavsar estimated the loss at over N500 million.