The Technical Committee on Flood Impact Assessment in Delta has said a total sum of N9.6 billion would be needed to rehabilitate flood victims in the state.
This is contained in the report of the committee presented to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on Monday in Asaba at a public ceremony.
The committee was headed by Eric Arubaye, a professor and the Vice-Chancellor of the Delta State University, Abraka.
The report was presented by Chris Orubu, a professor and member of the committee.
Mr. Orubu however said the N9.6 billion is an initial estimate for the immediate rehabilitation of the people, noting that the estimate excluded the cost of rehabilitating roads and other infrastructure.
The committee was set up by Mr. Uduaghan on October 24, 2012 with a two-week mandate to complete and present its report to the state government.
Mr. Orubu said the committee concentrated its findings on the 12 Local Government Areas which were greatly affected out of the 14 submitted to it.
He said in view of the grave impact of the flood, the two-week mandate was rather too short to complete such an important report.
The committee, however, recommended a second and more detailed assessment to cover all the affected 231 communities in 12 LGAs of the state.
He said that 33,008 cassava crops, 9,860 tubers of yam, 526 poultry, 58 piggery and 4,357 fish farms, among others, were destroyed by the flood in the LGAs.
Mr. Orubu said that 5,099 mud houses and 9,000 block houses, 220 primary schools and 84 secondary schools were also destroyed, excluding the hospitals.
He said that farmers were the most affected by the flood, adding that N3.12 billion was estimated for the rehabilitation of crops, while livestock destroyed were estimated at N2.9 billion.
“Our modest estimates for rehabilitating one mud house is N100,000 while that of block house is N2.2 million, and with the stalls and the markets, we arrived at a total sum of N3.15 billion,’’ Mr. Orubu said.
The committee however recommended, as a short-term intervention, the clearing and fumigation of the affected communities.
It also recommended the construction of new ring wells, boreholes and rehabilitation of sewage facilities, among others.
“For the long-term intervention, we urge the state government to carry out a post-impact assessment study in the affected communities.
“It should also construct flood walls, dispersion and diversion structures and open all natural water channels,’’ Mr. Orubu said.
Receiving the report, Mr. Uduaghan thanked the committee members and others who were similarly commissioned to present reports on the various aspects of the flood.
He assured that the report would be studied and acted upon.
NAN
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