The National Assembly has donated ₦174 million to victims of the recent flooding in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The donation includes ₦74 million from the Senate and ₦100 million from the House of Representatives.
On Tuesday, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin led a Senate delegation to Maiduguri on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Jibrin announced that each of the 108 senators would contribute ₦500,000, totaling ₦54 million. He personally contributed ₦10 million. Additionally, the Northern Senators’ Forum donated another ₦10 million, bringing the total Senate contribution to ₦74 million.
Jibrin, who was received by Borno State Governor Prof. Babagana Zulum at the Government House in Maiduguri, stated, “Whatever touches Borno has touched the entire country. This is why I’m here with some of my colleagues, even though the President of the Senate was here yesterday (Monday) representing the Senate as a whole.
“When the President of the Senate came, he did not disclose what we intended to donate. The situation of the victims profoundly touches us. After our meeting yesterday, we agreed to donate the sum of ₦54 million.
Each senator is donating ₦500,000, totaling ₦54 million. Personally, I am donating ₦10 million. I pray that this flood will not occur again in Borno State and the entire country.”
The Senate delegation also visited Senator Baba Kaka Garbai, who represented Borno Central in the eighth Senate, to offer condolences following the passing of his mother last week. Senators present included Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum; Adetokunbo Abiru, Chairman of the Southern Senators’ Forum; Ikra Aliyu Bilbis (Zamfara Central); Onawo Ogoshi (Nasarawa South); and Sadiq Umar (Kwara North). Other senators included Diket Plang (Plateau Central), Babangida Hussaini (Jigawa North-West), Pam Mwadkon Dachungyang (Plateau North), Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North), and Kaka Shehu Lawan (Borno Central).
A House of Representatives delegation, led by Alhassan Doguwa, Chairman of the Northern Regional Caucus, also visited Maiduguri.
Doguwa announced the House’s intervention on behalf of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and commended President Bola Tinubu for his prompt response to the plight of the state’s people.
“We also pledge the National Assembly’s readiness to liaise with the Federal Government to create a legislative framework or budgetary intervention to help state governments address the impacts of flood disasters in the country,” Doguwa said.
