The Senate on Thursday[b] rejected a prayer to pay a condolence visit to Lagos over the floods that ravaged the state last Sunday. [/b]


The Senate also rejected the motion for it to ask the Federal Government to assist Lagos in finding solutions to the problem of flooding, asking states affected by floods to apply to the Ecological Fund for help.


However, Senators observed a minute silence for the dead victims of the disaster.


The Senate’s position came as a response to Senator Ganiyu Solomon’s motion in which he said Lagos faced the prospect of being totally submerged in water.


Over 14 hours of downpour had caused unprecedented floods in Lagos, in which many people were killed, houses were submerged and infrastructure destroyed.


An Assistant Director in the Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Dr. Regina Folorunsho, on Wednesday, had said that Lagos received in a day the rain expected in one month. “The exact amount of the rain that fell on Sunday was meant for a whole month, but we had it in just one day. There was no way anyone could have prepared for such amount of rainfall,’’ Folorunsho said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.


The Senate slammed government emergency agencies for their “slow response” to the disaster in Lagos and other states that had suffered flooding. Oyo, Katsina and Ogun states also experienced downpours that caused floods same day as Lagos.


The Senate resolved that the country must do more in meeting the challenges posed by natural disasters, including flooding and desertification.


It asked the Federal Road Maintenance Agency to urgently undertake the repair of federal roads destroyed by the floods, and urged the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to remove all the wrecked ships in Nigeria’s coastal areas.


President of the Senate, David Mark, said, “Our reaction to national disasters is not the best; we should be thankful that we are not having them regularly.


“The problem is that there is a misunderstanding of state of emergency. Otherwise, a state of emergency is what is required in situations like this. We should have our soldiers in these areas handling the situation.


“Declaration of a state of emergency is not to remove the governor, but to get the troops on ground to help the states resolve the problems.”


Ganiyu, in presenting his motion, had said that the Lagos tragedy occurred as a result of the severity of the rain.


He said, “There is a concern that the state which is the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria has been shut down and economic activities grounded to a halt with fears being expressed of the state being submerged.


“Some federal roads, particularly the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway collapsed in three places, thereby hampering the movement of people in and out of Lagos and that axis of the South-West. The Oshodi-Apapa Expressway was also flooded and it is in a danger of collapse and therefore requires attention.”


He called for a collaborative effort between the states and the Federal Government to provide relief materials to the victims and to stem the tide to avert further loss of lives.


He added that there had been cases of flooding and displacement of people and properties in Oyo, Ogun, Katsina and Kano states.


Also, senators who made contributions drew attention to the problem of response to emergency situations by the NEMA, noting that there was the need to equip the agency to be able to mitigate the effects of disasters.


Senator Smart Adeyemi from Kogi State said the Senate should be prepared to ensure that NEMA was properly equipped to do its work. Also, Senator George Sekibo from Rivers State called for effective prediction of pending disasters so that steps could be taken to protect citizens.


The Nigerian Meteorological Agency had predicted that the country would witness unusual large volume of rain in the year.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201107153353339

Can you see tribalistic approach to every issue? This senator rejected it because of Yorubaphobia. No problem sha o, we go soon scatter Nigeria and everybody go bear his papas name

Seanet1000:

Can you see tribalistic approach to every issue? This senator rejected it because of Yorubaphobia. No problem sha o, we go soon scatter Nigeria and everybody go bear his papas name

i think it has nothing to do with yoruba

the matter at hand is what is the result of "opposition politics" if lagosians and indeed SW all voted for ACN and PDP is the fedral then get ready to bear whatever comes out of it

I'll dare they reject OUR land!

UNBELIEVABLE people die , houses destroyed etc and yet this

truly unbelievable

Chyz*:

I'll dare they reject OUR land!

Same thing you said about Fulani herdsmen. Always talking without thinking.

what would soliders do in a flood disaster

are we this stu.pid in nigeria

how did david mark even get to that position

Ileke-IdI:

Same thing you said about Fulani herdsmen. Always talking without thinking.

The irony. . .hahaha

what the federal road neglected as well then i would say SW has been successfully marginalised not by the FG but by the people themselves. Thank you former gov Tinubu

come to think of it, if lagos is a commercial capital and it is for all nigerians then why can't the FG COME TO THERE Rescue and not only that. the state should be collecting the second highest allocation after Kano. given the fact of there population

i mean how can revenue for just 10 million people help 18 million people

really i think ACN has to take this deportation scheme serious

alj_harem:

i think it has nothing to do with yoruba

the matter at hand is what is the result of "opposition politics" if lagosians and indeed SW all voted for ACN and PDP is the fedral then get ready to bear whatever comes out of it

Since majority of them are almajiris like you, can you please tell them to also force the Federal government to hang off the over 600 billion naira it generates from Lagos ports yearly?

alj_harem:

come to think of it, if lagos is a commercial capital and it is for all nigerians then why can't the FG COME TO THERE Rescue and not only that. the state should be collecting the second highest allocation after Kano. given the fact of there population

i mean how can revenue for just 10 million people help 18 million people

really i think ACN has to take this deportation scheme serious

maybe we should start from your almajiri brothers on the street?

Seanet1000:

Since majority of them are almajiris like you, can you please tell them to also force the Federal government to hang off the over 600 billion naira it generates from Lagos ports yearly?

the last time i checked the population of northerners in lagos is less than 2 million. also the lagos port is owned by the FG so it can not be given to Tinubu to enrich his account

lets not derail the topic

alj_harem:

what the federal road neglected as well then i would say SW has been successfully marginalised not by the FG but by the people themselves. Thank you former gov Tinubu

Your almajiri brothers that support them what have been their benefit? BTW did Tinubu screw your wife?

alj_harem:

the last time i checked the population of northerners in lagos is less than 2 million. also the lagos port is owned by the FG so it can not be given to Tinubu to enrich his account

lets not derail the topic

so only PDP states can enjoy Federal government? You are delusional you know?

The standard and global practice is Disaster Declaration that cues the federal government to step in with disaster relief life financial and materiel assistance, not some silly state of emergency.


I don't think theses clowns know the meaning of state of emergency sef.

Seanet1000:

so only PDP states can enjoy Federal government? You are delusional you know?

no that is not what i am saying

the fedral seaport can not be handed over to the state government for tinubu and co to enrich themselves

i am not talking about party in this context

so when will ACN have a rethink

alj_harem:

so when will ACN have a rethink

It is not about ACN having a rethink but the federal government protecting its citizens. Every citizen has the right to vote for who ever they want to vote for. That does not give the FG the right to result in childish games like this. If this is the route they take, then Lagos can as well plan to look out for their own interest as the FG has decided to say categorically that an ACN state is no longer part of Nigeria. They can now take over the ports, and charge the FG. If the FG will not take responsibility for its useless infrastructure in the state, then they should be turned over to the state. Maybe SW states should come together and hold a conference based on this decision by the FG. . Because it is becoming apparent that we are no longer Nigerians. At least this is what the senate is telling us. And to those  ACN senators sitting like lame ducks in the senate. What a disappointment that none of them voiced out an objection and challenged Mark.

2mch:

It is not about ACN having a rethink but the federal government protecting its citizens. Every citizen has the right to vote for who ever they want to vote for. That does not give the FG the right to result in childish games like this. If this is the route they take, then Lagos can as well plan to look out for their own interest as the FG has decided to say categorically that an ACN state is no longer part of Nigeria. They can now take over the ports, and charge the FG. If the FG will not take responsibility for its useless infrastructure in the state, then they should be turned over to the state. Maybe SW states should come together and hold a conference based on this decision by the FG. . Because it is becoming apparent that we are no longer Nigerians. At least this is what the senate is telling us. And to those  ACN senators sitting like lame ducks in the senate. What a disappointment that none of them voiced out an objection and challenged Mark.

When has the FG ever protected its citizens? If they didn't do it in the 60s, why would they do it now?

But your people fought to keep this country one.

EzeUche:


When has the FG ever protected its citizens? If they didn't do it in the 60s, why would they do it now?

But your people fought to keep this country one.

Look your one track mind does not count here. No one is talking about your inferiority complex and concerns. The fact is that Nigerians from all over the country died. Lagos is responsible for 60% in IGR of that country. It will be silly for the senate to try to score cheap political points in the event of a disaster where lives have been lost. Most of the FG's infrastructure in Lagos is at a deplorable state. They should show some responsibility and fix it if they want to keep collecting money from Lagos. Afterall it is the commercial capital where most investors will go to, and form opinions about investing in Nigeria. It also shows up PDP as a very ridiculous party worthy of nothing in Nigeria. David Mark should be put in his place.

How can the Senate be impeached (if impeachment is possible in Nigeria)?

2mch:

Look your one track mind does not count here. No one is talking about your inferiority complex and concerns. The fact is that Nigerians from all over the country died. Lagos is responsible for 60% in IGR of that country. It will be silly for the senate to try to score cheap political points in the event of a disaster where lives have been lost. Most of the FG's infrastructure in Lagos is at a deplorable state. They should show some responsibility and fix it if they want to keep collecting money from Lagos. Afterall it is the commercial capital where most investors will go to, and form opinions about investing in Nigeria. It also shows up PDP as a very ridiculous party worthy of nothing in Nigeria. David Mark should be put in his place.

It is unfortunate that people lost their lives, but I will ask you again, when has the FG has ever protected its citizens?

Can you even answer that question? I can use a recent example of Odi in how the FG destroyed the lives of its citizens.

And when you use that particular phrase, use it in the right context. 

Really Nigeria is teethering on the edge. As for impeachment,there is a process of recalling one's elected reps but this is Nigeria. *sighs*

EzeUche:

It is unfortunate that people lost their lives, but I will ask you again, when did the FG has ever protected its citizens? Can you even answer that question? I can use a recent example of Odi.

From that article all that was asked for was a fund to create adequate drainage in the state and also for the FG to fix its infrastructure. But they refer a whole state to "Ecological Fund". Which type of crazy people do we even have in the senate. Their psychological health cannot be vouched for. Afterall Lagos bears the burden of having people from all over the country in one state, at the highest proportions. It is also the face of Nigeria. FG should do more to make Lagos safe and habitable. It is not one of those states that you can win anything by withholding funds. You only make it easier for people to reject PDP at the polls and very easy for ACN to score political points.

2mch:

From that article all that was asked for was a fund to create adequate drainage in the state and also for the FG to fix its infrastructure. But they refer a whole state to "Ecological Fund". Which type of crazy people do we even have in the senate. Their psychological health cannot be vouched for. Afterall Lagos bears the burden of having people from all over the country in one state, at the highest proportions. It is also the face of Nigeria. FG should do more to make Lagos safe and habitable. It is not one of those states that you can win anything by withholding funds. You only make it easier for people to reject PDP at the polls and very easy for ACN to score political points.

This is my advice to ACN, forget getting any support from this government.

PDP is out to destroy your party.

You are absolutely right, they are trying to score political points, but I still would not expect anything from the FG. That is the reason why you region voted for ACN.

If FG's moves are based on revenge, then something needs to be done. Last time I checked, it's the right of the citizens to choose their representatives, the right to choose their voice.

FG is not supposed to be based on any party, FG should not be owned by a party.

If what ezeUche assumes is anyway close to the truth (which I doubt), then indeed the decentralization of power in Nigeria have yet to begin. PDP has eaten up so much power that they're about to choke on it.

EzeUche:

This is my advice to ACN, forget getting any support from this government.

PDP is out to destroy your  party.

You are absolutely right, they are trying to score political points, but I still would not expect anything from the FG. That is the reason why you region voted for ACN.

It is not about ACN or PDP, it is about human life and human rights. These are basic needs that the government should provide. The government and not the state is responsible for adequate drainage and urban planning. Failure to do this will only reflect failure on PDP and not ACN as it is the FG that is failing on its responsibility. They are also spoiling potential investment opportunities in Nigeria. Imagine investors coming to invest in a country that cannot plan against a flood? Does not even have a functioning drainage system? There should be an outrage against this, Mark should be ashamed that he let his mouth blab on this issue. He sounds like an illiterate. This is not about party affiliation but its citizens.  As for impeachment, i think the senate can vote to impeach Mark.

Well, the PDP is conceited,it does not help that the F.G has had running battles with Lagos in the past.

What has Senate now to do with PDP? Some of the senators are from ACN and other parties.

Lagos cried "flood" less than a year ago, and that request for emergency funds was granted. . .  what did the state do with the money and how far did it go. That should be what people should focus on deciphering first before jumping to accuse Senate of being prejudice and all the nonsense some have chosen to bring up without first consulting the facts of the situation.