Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, was in Ngala Local Government Area on Sunday to assess the destruction caused by flooding in the region.
Gamboru Ngala is a market town on the shores of Lake Chad near the Cameroon-Nigeria border.
Zulum also shared relief items with victims cut off by the high volume of rainwater and flooding for nearly four months.
The governor traveled to Ngala on Saturday, spent the night there, and sympathized with the affected community. He assured that his administration, in partnership with the federal government, would provide the needed solutions to avert future occurrences.
“Gamboru Ngala, headquarters of Ngala Local Government, was cut off from the rest of the country for about four months as a result of this year’s flood and heavy rainfall.
“We came to examine the extent of damage and consider the possibility of supporting the victims. You can see a greater percentage of the town is submerged in water. However, I still want to appeal to the people to desist from building houses on waterways.
“The situation is very obnoxious and both the federal and state governments will look into the possibility of supporting them. Most importantly, the town cannot be accessed, thereby cutting the community from food supply. So during our visit, we will also distribute food items donated to the state by the federal government.
“We will also examine the situation and see how to address the flooding issues here. We will take some immediate measures and implement medium and longer-term solutions to prevent future occurrences.
The governor was accompanied by Engr Bukar Talba, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ngala, Alh: Bukar Abatcha, and Sugun Mai Mele, the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirates Affairs.
Others include Bukar Mustapha Dalatu, a Former member of the House of Assembly, and Dr Mohammed Barkindo, the Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), among other senior government officials and political party members.
