A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting fromnatural processes of the Earth; examples are floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other geologic processes. A natural disaster can cause loss of life or property damage and typically leaves some economic damage in its wake, the severity of which depends on the affected population’s resilience, or ability to recover and also on the infrastructure available.
This was exactly what was divinely ordained in September, 2010, in Sokoto state. Certainly, no any mortal can exert any human control on the occurrence of natural disasters . They can at best be mitigated , depending on the speed of emergency response .
Definitely, the devastating flood in parts of Sokoto state in 2010, was an unforgettable natural disaster that left in its wake loss of lives, farmlands, fatm produce , property and other infrastructure. None , but, the Alimighty God caused it. Yet, the swift response of the then Chief Security Officer and number one citizen, former Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, left no one in any doubt as to his unparalleled commitment, zeal and dexterity to mitigate the disaster .
The then governor swiftly mobilised all the necessary emergency arsenals under the auspices of the State Emergency Management Agency, its sister federal government, NEMA and all their related agencies . This was apart from immediately swinging into action and physically visiting all the affected villages, even ignoring all safety and security threats .
SEMA immediately swung into action and mobilized an array of relief materials, to provide immediate succour to the flood victims across the state. Ex governor Wamakko also mobilized heavy duty equipment and rehabilitated the damaged bridge along the Sokoto city to Usmanu Danfodiyo University, main campus road, among other commendable efforts .
The most important gesture by the sokoto state government was the construction of 1000 houses, under Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, worth about N 3.8 billion to the 2010 flood victims in three local governments of the state .
Under the largesse, Goronyo (Goronyo town ), Gada (Tsaro) and Silame (Sabon Garin Alu), local governments got 400, 350 and 250 out of the houses, respectively. The houses which were completed and duly commissioned were provided with schools,play grounds, clinics, police outposts , mosques, primary and Islamiyya schools, along other necessary facilities.
It is noteworthy here that Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko as the former Governor of the state had never abandoned the 2010 flood victims, just as the houses were logically started, completed and commissioned.
It is therefore bemusing when a faceless, mindless and jobless group of some doubting Thomases who on Thursday, August 23, 2018, organized a melodrama in the name of a so called peaceful demonstration, against the indefatigable Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, whose pedigree as a Governor then, and a Senator now, remained unprecedented, as well as unparalleled.
His slogan then was to provide good governance, in tune with the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the state. Thus, he ran a government , with listening ears. He never wavered in this direction.
Consequently, this sponsored group of some jobless rabble-rousers and unpatritotic, overzealous and cantankerous ingrates , cannot in anyway diminish or dwarf the worldly acclaimed, tangible achievements of the former Governor of the state ,let alone suspect any foul play in the construction of these 1000 houses, whose beneficiaries were not only the affected victims in Goronyo local government.
Mani is Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to Senator Aliyu Wamakko
