Atiku tasks FG on humanitarian assistance for flood victims
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has urged the Federal Government to initiate humanitarian assistance for flood victims. The Wazirin Adamawa who acknowledged that climate change is real, added that flooding that has followed torrential downpours in towns and villages in Nigeria - like other places around the globe, confirms this. Atiku, in a statement Sunday, described the damage that has been occasioned on account of the floods as troubling. He revealed that public social facilities like schools and hospitals have been impacted. The statement read in part, "It may be safe to say, however, that no one carries the burden of these floods like our farmers. "Media reports abound of swathes of farmlands and food crops being washed away. "The consequence of these losses by our farmers will be felt by all of us. Any hope of a bumper harvest is now diminished. "This will further add to misery in our towns and villages and our cities as food prices continue to soar. "I share in the pains of the victims of these flooding incidents, including communities their local healthcare centres, markets and schools have been destroyed. Or, even individuals who have been displaced. I also condole those who have lost their loved ones. "Therefore, I urge governments at all levels to unveil a special humanitarian assistance programme to provide immediate succour to the affected communities. "These unfortunate incidents should be a wake up call to the urgency of our responsiveness to the issues of climate change and global warming." Atiku said is a clarion call that non-governmental organizations must equally harken to and focus their advocacy on sensitizing the vulnerable public on how to manage and mitigate global warming disasters.