The Senate on Thursday urged the Ecological Funds office to provide solution to the rainstorm that ravaged communities in Obosi, Nkpor and Oraukwu in Anambra.
This followed a motion by Sen. Uche Ekwunife (PDP-Anambra) and 26 other senators as co-sponsors at its plenary in Abuja on Thursday.
Ekwunife drew the attention of the senators to the downpour that took place during the weekend at Obosi, Nkpor, Oraukwu communities in Idemili Local Government Area.
She said the storm destroyed many homes and rendered some residents of the area homeless.
The senator, who said shops, markets and roads were similarly destroyed, noted that many residents fled the area and took refuge in neighbouring towns and villages.
According to her, properties and goods worth billions of naira were destroyed in the disaster.
The lawmaker opined that the storm had worsened the erosion sites that had been ravaging the area.
She expressed worry that more than 1,000 active erosion sites had been identified in the South-East zone.
Contributing, Sen. Stella Oduah (PDP -Anambra), noted that the people affected by the storm were facing a horrifying experience.
Oduah said the storm was resulting in the establishment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Anambra especially during the raining season.
She said Anambra deserved an urgent intervention of the ecological fund to mitigate the effects of the disaster on the citizens.
Other senators, who supported the motion include, Ifeanyi Uba (YPP-Anambra) and Barau Jubrin (APC -Kano).
Following the debate, the senate further urged the ecological fund office to send a delegation to Anambra to visit the erosion sites.
It also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials and other support as may be necessary to mitigate the damages suffered by the communities.
The upper chamber also resolved in its additional prayers that the ecological fund office should visit the entire country to access the level of damages caused by erosion in the states.
In his remark, President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, also urged the ecological fund office to look at the urgent need for intervention in Anambra, even as it focused on the entire country. (NAN)
