Reps asks FG to release N5b to mitigate effect of flooding

Buhari writes lawmakers, seeks consideration of FCT, NDDC budget proposals

House of Representatives has asked the Federal Government to immediately release N5 billion into the Special Ecological Fund Account (SEFA) of each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to mitigate effect of the flooding that recently ravaged the nation.

Two lawmakers, Henry Nwauba and Isiaka Ibrahim, in their motion of urgent public importance, during plenary, yesterday, urged the government to take drastic measures to prevent recurrence.

Besides, the green chamber asked its Committee on Appropriation to make provision of N200 billion for the Ecological Project Office in the Presidency towards preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery and relief packages.

The House noted that with each passing year, the impact of flooding keeps getting worse, with damage to property, danger to human life and other species, and colossal financial losses.

ALSO, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, transmitted the 2023 statutory budget proposals of the FCT and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the House.

Also transmitted were the Code of Conduct Bureau and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria alteration bills 2022.These were contained in three separate letters read by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the resumption of plenary.

Conveyance of the FCT statutory budget, which aligns with the Federal Government’s fiscal development policies, according to the President, was pursuant to Section 121 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).