Flooding: NDLEA boss facilitates donation of N120m worth of fertiliser to Borno Govt

…As leaders commend NEMA, call for more funding

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) has paid a condolence visit to the governor of Borno state, Prof. Babagana Zulum and the Shehu of Borno, His Highness Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanem over the recent flood disaster that claimed lives, displaced hundreds of thousands of residents and damaged several properties in Maiduguri and its environ.

Speaking during his visit to Governor Zulum and the Shehu of Borno on Tuesday 17th September 2024, Marwa said as a concerned Nigerian and former Military Governor of the old Borno State, he is moved by the magnitude of the flood disaster on the lives, livelihood and properties of the people as well as the environment.

As a result, the NDLEA boss said he has contacted a fertiliser company he knows for support and they have donated high yield fertilisers equivalent of ten trailer loads worth N120 million to the state government for eventual distribution to affected farmers to aid their quick return to the farm and prevent famine in the months ahead.

According to him, “From my knowledge of Borno state as a former military governor here, I can appreciate the enormity of the devastation of this flood on the lives of the people of Maiduguri, their livelihood, their homes and even the environment. With figures coming out on the number of deaths, displaced persons, properties damaged and land areas affected, this may probably be the worst natural disaster that has ever hit a single city in the history of Nigeria.

“This is why I have to come down here to commiserate with the governor, the state government, our royal father the Shehu of Borno and the entire people of the state. The situation on ground demands well-meaning Nigerians to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the state government to ameliorate the impact of this disaster on the people.

“I know the state government has been doing a lot and will be considering short term, medium term and long term measures at ameliorating the impact of the disaster on the people; the short term being immediate needs like food, water, medicines, cash gifts and temporary shelter, while the medium term would be interventions intended to return people’s lives to normalcy like getting them back to the farms which have been devastated by the flood. In this regard, we have been able to facilitate the donation of high yield fertilisers equivalent to 10 trailer loads worth N120 million by a fertiliser company well known to me to the state government for eventual distribution to farmers who will need to return to their farms to avoid famine in the months ahead.”

Governor Zulum and the Shehu expressed appreciation to Marwa for finding time to identify with the people of the state and his kind gesture to the affected people.

Meanwhile, Leaders in Nigerian political space have commended the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for its role in mitigating the effect of the recent flood in Maiduguri.

In his commendation, the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum said NEMA deserves to be properly funded to adequately carry out its mandates even as he commended the Director General for being prudent with resources released to the Agency.

Zulum made this known when he and the NEMA Director General, Mrs Zubaida Umar Monday inspected camps of internally displaced Persons affected by the Maiduguri flood.

The Governor appreciated NEMA for the prompt support rendered in the evacuation of trapped persons and provision of relief at the camps.

They were joined on the inspection by the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno , and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Kaka Shehu.

At Bakassi camp, Governor Zulum after inspecting NEMA’s mobile Clinic where staff were providing medical services to the displaced persons, commended the DG NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar for her being efficient in deployment of search and rescue teams and relief assistance.

He said, “We are happy to note the presence of NEMA working assiduously with the Government of Borno State. We believe that with their collaboration, we can achieve the objective of supporting the displaced communities.

“The most important thing that we expect from NEMA is to ensure effective coordination of all the support that is coming from non-governmental organisations and other organisations. We are ever ready to collaborate with them.

“NEMA activities do not only include provision of support to flood victims but also in other areas such as fire amongst others. Therefore, I am also pleading on behalf of NEMA for the Federal Government to provide additional resources to them so that they can carry out their functions efficiently.

“While appreciating the kind of support that they give, on my part as member of the National Economic Council, we shall also put heads together with my colleagues to see how we can support NEMA to carry out its duties as at when due.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Borno state, I want to most sincerely appreciate NEMA for their continued support, especially for their sympathy and empathy to the people of Borno as we have seen them working round the clock in all the camps. What matters is their contribution and sense of humanity that they have for the people of Borno State.”

At the NEMA warehouse, the Director General NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, informed the Governor about materials that have been deployed to the camps and more in the store to assist the IDPs.

She also briefed the Governor about facilities deployed by the Agency including the mobile intensive care unit ambulances, mobile water treatment plant, strengthening of search and rescue operation with deployment of additional team members from Abuja, Gombe, Yola and Jos to join the Maiduguri staff as well as camp management officers.

In his remark, the Chairman Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Kaka Shehu, SAN, said, “I am happy the store is not empty despite being under budget. It is high time the Federal Government of Nigeria rises to the occasion following the calamity that has befallen not only Maiduguri but many parts of the country that have experienced perennial flooding in almost all the states.”

“I want to use this occasion on behalf of the Senate Committee on Special Duties to appeal to Mr. President to properly fund NEMA so that NEMA can live up to its responsibilities.

“We appreciate the little funding. I am proud that the Director General NEMA and her team are doing well with the meagre resources at their disposal.”

On arrival in Maiduguri on Sunday for the second time since the occurrence of  the flood, the DG NEMA paid a courtesy call on the Governor during which she commiserated with the Government and people of the state, especially those affected by the flood.

The DG NEMA also supervised ongoing rescue at some areas where she commended the team and urged them to consider their efforts as service to humanity and the nation.